She's the Man
by One More Thing
Summary: AU Disguised as her twin brother Souta, Kagome attends Shikon University in hopes of playing for the boys kendo team. But it's kinda hard to focus with such a sexy room mate... Inu/Kag
1. Shattered Dreams

Note:

-All characters are human.

-A shinai is the weapon used in the art of Kendo. It is a wooden sword with four slants of bamboo tied together with leather. (In Rurouni Kenshin, it is the weapon Yahiko uses…)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or She's the Man/Twelfth Night

XxXxXx

Kagome took a deep breathe in an attempt to calm herself. Her hands tightened around the hilt of the shinai, the wood cracking slightly from the intense pressure being placed upon it. She could feel the weight of the padded armor on her, but she ignored it. She quickly focused all her energy and attention to her partner, shifting her feet slightly, completely ready for anything he threw at her. Eyes open and alert, she silently waited for his move.

That was just Kagome's style of fighting in kendo. She preferred to make her move after her opponent took the initiative. Sure she may have been a tad predictable, but that was just her style, both in kendo and life. Wait and watch before striking. It had saved her many times before, so why should she stop now?

"I'll let you have the first move baby…" her opponent taunted, all knowing crystal blue eyes gazing at her from behind the wired mask. At Kagome's silence, he chuckled lightly and shifted his stance to a more serious one.

"So like you Kagome…" he stated, before emitting a powerful cry, aiming his shinai at the top of her head.

Quickly seeing this, Kagome sidestepped to the left. Just as her opponent regained his footing, Kagome counter attacked, releasing a battle cry of her own. She stopped hard on the ground with her left foot to gain momentum, but her enemy was much too fast for her. He swiftly darted out of the way as she flew by him. Kagome turned around and readied her stance just as her opponent cried out ready to strike her shoulder.

Kagome flinched slightly and closed her eyes, waiting for the attack, but it never came. She slowly looked up to see the leather tip of the shinai just inches from hitting her. Pulling his sword away, her opponent relaxed visibly and strapped the wooden sword on to his belt.

"Let's take a break…" They had been practicing for over an hour. Pulling his wire mask off, he walked over the cooler, and grabbed two water bottles. He tossed one to Kagome who barely caught it for she was just pulling her mask off as well.

"Thanks Kouga…" Kagome mumbled, twisting off the cap and pouring the cool liquid down her throat. She drank it greedily, feeling the some of the water dribble down her chin.

"Try to get some in your mouth…" Kouga remarked snidely. Kagome threw him a glare, as she sat down in the chair next to her.

"Shut up…"

Kagome had been performing in the art of kendo ever since she was little. Her mother and father divorced when Kagome's father became too engaged in his fighting, but Kagome still carried on the family tradition. Kagome and Kouga had met each other in their freshman year at Kyoto University, both being the captain of their school kendo teams. They hit it off immediately and they had been dating for about a year. To improve her skills, Kagome had asked Kouga to spar with her for extra practice at the dojo at school. Kouga had whole heartedly agreed.

Midterms and classes were now over thus engaging the college in summer activities such as hitting the beach, shopping, and of course, the big international kendo tournament of Osaki coming up. Kagome needed all the practice she could get.

Kouga laughed and made his way over to Kagome, taking the chair next to her. He casually flipped it around so that the back was pressed against his lean torso, his body lazily slouching against it. He grasped Kagome's hand in his and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles.

"Baby… I swear… you are getting harder and harder to beat everyday." He whispered softly.

"Was that supposed to be a compliment?"

"I suppose…"

Kagome sighed.

"I'm kidding Kagome!" Kouga exclaimed, tightening his hold on her hand. He gently stroked her fingers and gazed in to her eyes fondly. She gazed back, her eyes a little hard from his previous comments.

"Look…" Kouga began, "Put it this way… you're getting so good, that I have to play my hardest against you. You've gotten a lot faster and your timing is excellent."

Kagome's face flushed at the compliments and she smiled. She leaned closer to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"You're looking pretty good yourself…" she purred, her lips inches from his.

"Why thank you Kagome…"

"Of course, that's what I should expect from the captain of the kendo team…" At her comment, Kouga's eyes instantly brightened, a male cockiness creeping its way in to his face. Their lips were still almost touching.

"Pretty soon you might not even need my extra teachings… You're probably better than half of the guys on the kendo team, with your skills improving each day…" Kouga whispered, his chair now leaning on the back legs. His hand came up to rest on the back of her neck drawing her in.

"Hell. I've got to start watching myself around you…" Kouga continued. Kagome giggled low in her throat as she caught on to his double meaning. His eyes regarded her lazily.

"I've got no problem with th-" She never got to finish, for Kouga's lips were on hers in a bruising kiss. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward, deepening the kiss. She barely noticed the hand stroking her thigh while his other hand tangled itself in her hair.

A loud beeping noise echoed throughout the dojo, effectively interrupting the couple. Kouga pulled away, looking mildly disappointed and reached in to his pocket to pull out his cell. A message blinked in the screen and Kouga sighed as he read it.

"What is it?" Kagome asked.

"My dad needs me… says it's important…" Kagome sighed, also saddened by the fact that their moment had been interrupted. Standing up out of her chair, she grabbed her shinai and made her way to the girl's locker room as Kouga proceeded to the boys.

They both meet outside and walked hand in hand to their cars. Kagome quickly pecked Kouga on the cheek before hopping in to her car.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Kagome called, for they both had kendo summer practices around the same time the following morning. Kouga smiled and nodded, pulling out of his spot and driving off. Kagome sat in the car for a few minutes longer. Kouga and his dad weren't exactly on the best of terms, especially after Kouga's mom had died.

Kagome shook the thoughts out of her head and started the ignition. She backed up, and drove out towards the freshman dorms.

XxXxXx

"Seriously Kagome! Is that all you two did!?"

"Are you sure you're not leaving anything out?"

"Yes! Yes! For the last time Eri, all we did was practice like we always do." She hoped that the team didn't notice her blush.

"Kagome are you blushing?"

Damn Ayumi…

"Oh my God! She is! Give us the scoop!" Overcome by the onslaught of questions and giggles from her teammates, Kagome could only hold up her hands in some form of defense, shaking her head rapidly in hopes of subduing their comments.

The girl's kendo team of Kyoto University was walking towards the dojo to get some early morning practice. There were seven of them in all for the girl's "A" team, but this year, they didn't have a "B" team put together just yet. They were all wearing the protective padding and clothing necessary for kendo. The topic of their captain's relationship had come up and Kagome was helpless against the six of them.

"Come on Kagome!"

"Yes please!"

"Look you guys…" Kagome began once the questions began to get a little…inappropriate. "My relationship with Kouga is between him and me. I can't just spill out everythi-"

"So then I just slipped my tongue in and she was just begging me to continue!" Kagome's gaze snapped from her teammates to stare at the large group of boys surrounding Kouga in the dojo. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she balled her hands in to fist at her side. Kouga was proudly boasting about their relationship, exaggerating at every question thrown at him.

Throwing her bag on to the floor rather roughly, Kagome grabbed her shinai and stomped over to Kouga, an angry glint burning clearly in her eyes. The crowd of boys instantly parted for her, their silence alerting Kouga of her intrusion. He turned around in confusion and came face to face with a very pissed off Kagome.

"Hey baby!" He cried cheerfully throwing an arm around her shoulders. She shrugged him off immediately, continuing her glare. Dense as he was, Kouga still continued to stare at Kagome brightly, seemingly unaware of the death glare she was giving him. Everyone in the dojo was watching now.

"How dare you…" Kagome hissed, "How dare you gloat about our personal relationship with everyone!"

At her outburst, Kouga's facade instantly dropped, a look of confusion replacing it.

"Well the guys asked and I wasn't about to turn them down."

"Don't I have a say in what _details_ you were giving your friends!?"

"I don't see what the big deal is. It's not like it's anything they haven't heard before." Kagome instantly stiffened over his words. So he had spoken of their relationship to his friends multiple times before. She felt betrayed and used, like a trophy prize in Kouga's life.

"Those aren't things you should be flaunting over! Those moments are special…"

"If they're special, then what's wrong with a little share and tell?"

"It's none of their business!" Kagome cried, her face flushed with anger. She looked pretty deadly with that wooden sword in her hands. But before Kouga could reply, an angry voice silenced them both.

"That's enough!"

All eyes shifted from the arguing couple to the owner of the loud and firm voice. It was Master Kaijinbo, the head coach of the boy's kendo team. He was a short stout man that was clearly balding despite only being in his late thirties. He had sharp face with a rather large nose, and piercing coal black eyes that demanded attention.

"There will be no more of this petty arguing during practice! Understood!?" he roared, his attention clearly focused on Kouga. Kouga could only nod and gulp quietly. He knew better than to challenge Master Kaijinbo.

"And you!" Kaijinbo yelled, rounding on Kagome. She took a slight step back at the out burst directed at her. "What are you _girls_ doing here?!" he asked, speaking the word "girls" like it was venom on his lips.

"We are the girl's kendo team." Kagome replied, a little fearful, "Summer practices begin today, so here we are."

Instead of answering, Kaijinbo let out a quick, but loud sadistic laugh, rolling his head back. He smirked widely at her.

"Didn't you hear? There is no girl's team."

Kagome paled. "What?"

"The girl's team was cancelled this year due to lack of players."

"What are you talking about? We have seven girls right here! That's plenty enough for a match!" Kagome countered, suddenly feeling very brave.

"The board finds it unnecessary to have a girl's kendo team. Its part of the budget and plus, there is a lack of interest. Got any new incomers this year?" Kaijinbo asked mockingly. His sneer further fueled Kagome's rebuttal.

"They can't do that!"

"It's already been done."

Kagome growled low in her throat at the news. She was angry. Beyond angry. First Kouga and now this? Turning around she caught the eyes of her teammates. All of them looked completely crestfallen at the news. For some of them, their whole life was about kendo, including Kagome. And she wasn't about to let that go…

"Fine…then we'll try out for the boy's team." Kagome stated defiantly. A few gasps were heard including eyes widening from both Kouga and Master Kaijinbo. Then Master Kaijinbo chuckled low in his throat.

"You're joking right?"

"No."

"What on earth could bring out such a request from you?" he sneered.

"I don't see the problem. You know we're good."

Kaijinbo snorted.

"Plus, aren't you short for the boy's "B" team this year?" Kagome pressed.

"Look." Kaijinbo commanded speaking low, but firmly. "You _girls_ maybe good, but that's for the _girls _division. You wouldn't last one minute in the ring with us boys. Of course, it's nothing to get angry about. Boys are just naturally stronger, quicker, and more athletic than you girls. Nothing personal…" he added, but hardly sounded like he meant it. Kagome glared at him.

"Kouga!" she called, glancing over Kaijinbo's shoulder. Hearing his name, Kouga quickly walked over, standing next to Kaijinbo with his arms crossed. "You're the captain. What do you think about this?" she asked him.

"I think Master Kaijinbo said it all." He replied not faltering in the slightest. His answer shocked Kagome.

"But yesterday you said that I was better than half the guys on the team!" she accused angrily. Mummers went throughout the small crowd that had gathered around them. Kouga's face paled slightly, but it was quickly gone.

"I never said that." He replied, his face completely indifferent. Kaijinbo looked pleased.

"What are you talking about!? Why are you lying!?" Kagome cried, tears just beginning to form in her eyes.

"Just shut up Kagome." Kouga mumbled quietly, clearly embarrassed by the looks the boys were giving him. He refused to be ruled by his own girlfriend. But Kagome had heard him loud and clear, and reeled back as if she had been slapped, but she didn't cry.

"Fine. It's over Kouga." She spoke just as quietly. A mummer of excitement went through the crowd of boys. At her statement, Kouga's face instantly fell and look of regret crossed his face. He stepped towards her to reach for her, but Kaijinbo stopped him in his tracks.

"That's enough. Back to practice." Kouga had no choice. Giving one last look to Kagome, he walked with the boys to the locker room. Kagome turned around and gave a small smile to the sympathetic looks her friends were giving her. She shook her head slowly, ignoring the boo's and catcalls coming from the other boys. She gathered her stuff and left with the rest of her teammates.

She ignored her friends' reassurances and insults toward Kouga. For some reason, she didn't feel sad or angry. She just felt tired.

XxXxXx

One chapter done! Hope you guys liked it! This story has been really eating at me for weeks so I'm really excited about it!

**Note: As you might have already noticed, this story is not EXACTLY like the movie. There will be many different things in this story, but the plotline is still the same. So don't expect word for word "She's the Man" story! I hope you guys will still enjoy it nonetheless! **

Please review so I know this story is worth continuing!

**Check out my other stories! Inu/Kag oneshots!**

Inuyasha next chapter? Maybe… REVIEW!


	2. Blessing in Disguise

Kagome groaned lightly as she pulled her car up to her house that night. Her mother had invited her over for dinner to celebrate her one year completion as a freshman in college, but Kagome doubted that was all she wanted to talk about.

Kagome's mother was one of the head members of an all ladies committee known as the Geisha Ladies Organization. Of course the committee did not teach its members just geisha critique, but it was organized to teach and help young ladies of the future in ways of proper mannerisms and life style. Kagome was constantly harped on by her mother on her lack of such qualities.

As Kagome got out of her car and locked it, she saw a figure approaching her from her house. At first glance, Kagome figured it to be her mother, but the person's style of walking and clothing attire (or lack of) were nothing of what her mother would have. As the female figure grew closer, Kagome recognized her as her brother Souta's, girlfriend Tsubaki.

"Oh Kagome! Thank goodness you're here!" Tsubaki called out in fake cheerfulness.

Kagome knew Tsubaki too well. Sure she had an incredibly gorgeous figure and face, but underneath it all, she was just another sluttish bitch that only stayed around for a good lay. Kagome had often told Souta of her opinion of Tsubaki, but Souta never took her seriously. Perhaps he never really took Tsubaki seriously either…

"Hello Tsubaki." Kagome greeted politely, but Tsubaki didn't waste her time on formalities.

"Have you seen Souta? The idiot was supposed to call me!" Tsubaki cried out in exasperation. She put on a distressed face, staring her perfectly manicured nails with approval.

"No sorry…"

Tsubaki's face instantly became annoyed as she slug her sparkling purse over her shoulder and stomped over to her car. She pouted angrily and flipped her midnight black hair over her shoulder, turning away from Kagome.

"A lot good you are…" Tsubaki mumbled, but Kagome heard her and did nothing to aggravate her. She watched as Tsubaki unlocked her car and crawled in to the seat, a cross look still marring her face. Just as she started the engine, she rolled down the window.

"Well if you do see him, tell him that he needs to call me!" she called out to Kagome. Kagome didn't reply and just watched her drive away, leaving black exhaust behind. She sighed and proceeded to the front door of the house. She didn't even have to knock for the door was opened for her and she was greeted by the face of her mother.

"Kagome!" her mother exclaimed, coming to hug her before Kagome could get a word out.

"Hi mom" Kagome timidly hugged her back. Her mom released her to stare innocently behind Kagome's back, looking for someone.

"Just you tonight dear? I thought you said Kouga was coming."

Great.

The last thing Kagome needed at that moment.

"I don't want to talk about him mom…" Kagome muttered quietly walking past her mother. She ignored the aghast looked that appeared on her face.

"What? Did something happen between you two?" Kagome gritted her teeth in annoyance. Didn't she just say that she didn't want to talk about him? But Kagome didn't need to speak for her mother answered her question for her.

"Oh my! He broke up with you!" Kagome's mother cried out as if the world had come to an end, her perfect mask of cheerfulness faded from her face. Kagome sighed at her mother's assumptions.

"No mom. I broke up with him."

"What? But why?!" Kagome noticed that her mom looked even more disappointed. She didn't bother to answer and changed the subject.

"Is dinner ready? I'm starving…"

Dinner was quickly served. Kagome noticed that the spread was very elegant and far more special than her usual dinner visits. She felt a pang of guilt at putting her mother through all this trouble.

"So Kagome dear… as you know the Geisha Ladies Pageant is coming up…" Kagome's mother began in an attempt to spark up some conversation. Kagome really wished she hadn't. She half listened and answered as her mom carried out the conversation.

"Yea I know…"

"And we've got a lot of work ahead of us so we're going to need your help."

"Okay…"

"Do you think you could help out at the carnival that's in two weeks?"

"Sure. No problem…"

"And Kagome dear… you also have quite a bit of shaping up to do. I feel like you're so far behind."

"Right…"

"You need to take this seriously. How else are you going to find another boyfriend if you can't even act like a lady?"

"Mom…"

"I mean it Kagome… by the way, have you seen your brother?"

Their thrilling conversation was interrupted by a loud boom sound that had come from upstairs. Kagome's mother paused in her questioning, a confused look coming over her face. Kagome, on the other hand, looked slightly relieved at the prospect of leaving the current conversation.

"I'll go." Kagome offered, seeing her mother starting to get up. "It's probably just Buyo."

Kagome slowly trekked up the stairs looking around for that fat cat. She was just passing by Souta's room when she heard another boom, but this time much quieter, coming from inside along with a soft curse.

"Ow…shit."

Not even bother to knock, Kagome turned the doorknob and let herself in, the sight of her brother greeting her. His back was facing her as he seemed to be arranging some things in his bag, but as he turned around, he jumped back slightly, startled by her presence.

"Kagome?"

"Hey Souta."

Souta and Kagome were identical twins with Souta being one minute older than Kagome (he never let her hear the end of it). They were extremely close growing up, but in the end, went to different colleges. Kagome went to Kyoto University and Souta was starting his freshman year this year at Shikon State University. Funny how those two schools were rivals…

"Souta… what are you-?"

"Shhhh." Souta whispered placing a finger to her lips to silence her. "Do you want mom to hear us?"

"What's going on Souta?" Kagome asked, keeping her voice slightly lower. She noticed that there were multiple suitcases around his room including some cases that carried his guitar for his band. They were all tied together with a string.

"I'm leaving…"

"Leaving?"

"Yes. But only for a little while!" Souta reassured seeing Kagome's startled face. "My band got a slot for a showing in New York. We're going there early to get set up and acquainted and then we get to share our music with the world!"

Kagome shot him a look.

"Okay… maybe just New York City, but it's still an awesome break for my band. Isn't that great?!"

Kagome smiled brightly at him, truly happy for him. This had always been his dream. She just felt bad that she had to feel so down because her dreams had been crushed that same day.

"I'm happy for you Souta. How long are you going to be gone?"

"Just about a month…"

"A month?!" Kagome cried out.

"Shhh!" Souta reminded her. She shut her mouth.

"Souta… You have summer classes this year that start in a week! You've already put off college for one year, so missing these classes could really put you behind! Plus, what will mom say? What will Tsubaki say?"

Souta sighed tiredly, running a hand through his hair. He grabbed the suitcases and gently threw them out the window holding them by the string. He slowly lowered them down the ledge until they hit the ground. He turned to face Kagome.

"Well… I was hoping you could do something about it. Mom trusts you more so I was thinking you could make something up. And tell the school something as well… just long enough to last a month."

"Souta… this is crazy!" Kagome exclaimed throwing her arms in the air. Souta laughed, and for a split second Kagome felt that odd feeling whenever she looked in to Souta's eyes and saw a mirror of herself.

"Hey… if you want to chase your dreams, sometimes you have to do crazy things!" He strode across the room to hug Kagome and give her a peck on the cheek. Mumbling a quick "bye" and "thanks", he walked over to his window. He peered over the edge hesitantly before climbing out and dropping down. Kagome heard a soft thud as he landed hard, and she giggled slightly.

"Kagome!" she heard her mother yell. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah mom! I'll be there in a minute!"

Walking out of Souta's room, Kagome quickly trotted downstairs. She paused on her way down to stare at a recent picture hanging on the wall of her and Souta when they had graduated from high school. She had to admit: they looked incredibly alike.

Kagome gasped as a sudden realization hit her.

Suddenly Souta's leaving didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Her idea was crazy, she knew it as well. But she felt a strong urge to go along with it. It would take some risks no doubt, but that couldn't be helped. _'This way… I get to do what I love, help Souta, and get a little revenge along the way.'_

She smiled discreetly at her brilliant plan and quickly rushed down to meet her mother. Her mom looked a little puzzled at seeing the happy look on her daughters face. Wasn't she just gloomy a few seconds ago?

"Kagome, what happened upstairs?"

"Just Buyo as always. Oh and I know where Souta is. He's spending the month at dad's" Kagome lied, surprised at how easy the lies had come out. Kagome's mother also had no idea that Souta had classes during the summer, so she bought the lie easily.

As Kagome's mother continued to drone on about the Pageant, Kagome's thoughts drifted else where. Her plan was slowly forming in her mind and she grew more excited the more she thought of it. She smiled a small smile, unseen by her mother.

_Hey… if you want to chase your dreams, sometimes you have to do crazy things!_

XxXxXx

"You want me to what?"

"Turn me in to my brother!"

Jakotsu stroked his chin thoughtfully as he surveyed Kagome completely. He walked around her like an eagle stalking its prey and cocked an eye brow.

"Like permanently?"

"No!" Three voices cried out in unison. Kagome had asked her two best friends Eri and Ayumi to come join her in the "Turn me in to Souta Mission". Her friends had eagerly agreed, both having nothing else to do. They had gone to their friend, Jakotsu's Sunset Salon to hopefully get his help.

"Kagome dearest…" Jakotsu droned on, batting his eye lashes a little, "I'm just a simple stylist! What you're asking for…"

"Is just a wig and some makeup to make me look like a boy!" Kagome finished for him. She still had that sparkly look in her eyes, as the excitement seemed to overwhelm her. But Jakotsu still looked a little uncertain.

"Look…" Kagome began gently. "The plan is simple. Souta's going to be gone for a month and he has summer classes. He's already put off college since last year so nobody there has even met him. I'm going to dress like him and take his place so he doesn't fail. Plus, I get the chance to try out for the boy's Kendo team and hopefully face off against the Kyoto Boy's Kendo team!" Kagome stated the last part with a bit more fire in her voice.

"I hope you understand what you're getting in to Kagome…" Jakotsu pondered out loud.

"Of course I do! And you don't have to worry! I've already taken half the classes he's taking so those should be easy. And once the Osaki tournament is over, "Souta" can just drop out of Kendo and not even have to worry about it!" Kagome pressed on, her determined look never faltering.

"Well…" Jakotsu sighed. He thought about it for a few more seconds, but seeing the

pleading look in Kagome's eyes, he couldn't turn her down.

"Alright… I'll help. Who knows? Maybe this will be fun!" Jakotsu suddenly cried out happily. All three girls squealed at Jakotsu's agreement and clasped hands with one another excitedly.

"Let's get started! Follow me!" Jakotsu commanded as he led the three girls to the back of the room where the wigs were stored.

"Oh and Kagome might need a few lessons in boy behavior as well…" Ayumi added once they were in the back.

A mischievous glint came in to Jakotsu's eyes as he regarded Kagome once again. He giggled lowly and winked.

"I'm not sure if I'm the one you want to be asking that…"

XxXxXx

A lime green mini van pulled up in front of Shikon State University. Inside, held two boys, one looking extremely nervous and the other, checking out all the guys at the school. The nervous one slowly opened his side of the door and stepped out.

He was kind of scrawny for a boy, especially considering his current state of unease. He wore long dark blue jeans, a long sleeved gray shirt with a green T shirt over it. His hair was just a thick black mass, unusually well kept for a boy of his age.

"Kagome?" The boy turned around. "Are you okay?"

"Yea… fine. You sure I can do this?" Kagome asked the last part in a harsh and scared whisper. The wig on her head suddenly felt uncomfortable, her fake thickened eye brows were itching, and her bound chest ached. She had been so excited and confident before, but now?

Jakotsu smiled brightly at her question. "Oh yes. Absolutely!"

Kagome nodded hesitantly and followed Jakotsu to the back of the car. He was unloading all of her bags, when Kagome felt a set of eyes on her. She turned to see three boys looking right at her. For a second, she thought they were checking her out, but then thought better of it. She waved timidly and shouted "Hey dudes!"

The three pedestrians shot her confused looks as they continued on their way. Kagome's face fell, a panicked look replacing it. She turned to Jakotsu who was just getting the last of her stuff out of the trunk.

"Oh my God! They knew!" she shouted. "They knew. Those boys knew!" She attempted to run to the front of the car, but a firm hold on her arm stopped her. She spun around to stare at Jakotsu.

"Kagome! I've spent all this time training you and making you look amazing and now you're going to throw all my beautiful and hard work away?" He tightened his hold on her arm to get her to see his side of the argument. She sighed and shook her head. But at seeing more glances sent her way, she quickly shrugged Jakotsu off.

"Fine…"

"Okay…" Jakotsu handed her two bags to her and stepped back to survey her. "Give me the voice." He commanded.

Kagome cleared her throat, making sure her voice was one or two octaves lower. "Hey. What's up? I'm Souta." She spoke in a very manly way. Jakotsu beamed brightly at her.

"Now the strut." She walked forward, slipping her hands in to her pockets, and making sure she spent extra time on each step. Her body sort of sway as she walked and an air of male arrogance formed around her. One hand would occasional grab near her crotch as she had often seen Kouga do. Jakotsu's smile widened.

"Now hack a lugie." Kagome gathered up all the saliva in her throat and mouth and spit on to the ground. Jakotsu looked as if he would faint.

"I'm so proud of you!" he moved to hug her, but Kagome shook her head at seeing some of the students beginning to stare. Jakotsu sighed, but his smile still remained.

"You'll be fine _Souta_." He stressed the last part. Kagome nodded, the hopeful look coming back in to her eyes. Jakotsu walked over to the driver's side and got in to his car. He rolled the window down and threw her the keys to her new dorm.

"Be a good boy." He said affectionately and then drove off.

Kagome took a deep breathe to calm herself. She didn't have any regrets, but that didn't mean she wasn't scared out of her wits. Grabbing her kendo bag at her feet, she made her way in to the school.

XxXxXx

Finding the boy's dorm building had been easy. It was the one making the most noise. Getting to her dorm room was the difficult part.

The hallway leading to her room was like a mad house. Boys were chatting everywhere and throwing unseen crap at one another. The amount of voices was increasing rapidly, as well as the volume as people attempted to speak over one another. Some doors were open, and some were constantly being slammed open and shut. In the middle, a few of the boy's were even trying to get a game of basketball going, while another four were trying to skateboard.

Kagome felt overwhelmed as she observed the male side of life but her confidence remained.

'_I can do this! I am a dude! I'm a bad ass dude!'_

With those thoughts in mind, Kagome made her way to her room which was unfortunately at the end of the hall. Her body was on complete alert of the objects being thrown around her. It was difficult maneuvering around everyone, but she eventually got to her door. By the time she was there, she had been all out running.

Without even thinking, she whipped out her keys and jammed open the door. She didn't even spare a glance in to the room as she slammed the door shut behind her, pressing her front to it. Taking a deep breath she turned around…

…and collided right in to a bare, very muscular body.

XxXxXx

Sorry guys… couldn't resist.

Review… or else!


	3. The Three Muskateers

Kagome let out a low "oomf" at the contact. The collision left her stumbling back slightly, rubbing her hand against her aching breasts. Regaining her posture, she stared dumbly up at the face of her new collided friend.

The first thing she noticed was his eyes. They were a startling amber color; incredibly unique and unlike anything she had ever seen before. Staring in to those golden pools left her feeling dazed, but also a bit unsure of herself especially considering the glare he was giving her. His eyes were framed by his perfectly chiseled face. Long and black, his hair hung freely and unkempt behind him. He wore a simple pair of red sweats and was bare foot. He definitely worked out, for his bare chest and arms were nicely toned. Realizing that she had not said anything, Kagome quickly spoke up.

"Uh… sorry dude. My bad…" she said speaking low and rough like a boy.

"Keh."

Keh? Was that even in the dictionary? Kagome watched as her "new" friend walked away from her, grabbing a magazine off the desk by the window. Opening to a random page, he flopped on to one of the two beds in the room and proceeded to read. Kagome's gaze shifted from him, to the other two occupants in the room.

Both of them were sitting on the floor currently engaged in a game with one another, both of them ignoring her. Kagome noticed in relief that both were fully clothed. One of the boys wore a short sleeved purple top and dark, loose fitting jeans. He had dark blue eyes and his short hair was tied in a small pony tail at the nape of his neck. The other, with brown eyes, donned a simple white tank top and similar jeans, his hair falling in a long braid behind him.

Kagome shrugged her shoulders. Breathing softly, she gathered her bags and placed them on the bed. As she unzipped her bag, a voice broke the silence.

"What's your name?" The boy in purple had spoken, but didn't look at her.

"Uh… Ka- I mean Souta. Souta Higurashi…" she finished off lamely. The boy in the purple shirt looked up from his game and gave her a smile.

"Hello Souta. It's nice to meet you. My name is Miroku Houshi. This," he gestured to his game opponent, "Is Bankotsu Takata. And the one you collided with earlier is Inuyasha Takahashi."

Kagome visibly relaxed. At least he was polite enough. Maybe this month wouldn't be so bad… Leaving her belongings, she walked over to the two boys on the floor to see what game they were playing. She was shocked to discover them engaged in a game of "Guess Who".

Although upon further speculation, she noticed a slight difference in the game boards. The quirky and humorous characters that she had grown so accustomed to had all been replaced with, who Kagome could safely assume, female members of the school. Their game was just finishing up, with Bankotsu down to three more people and Miroku down to two.

"Is she hot?" asked Bankotsu. Miroku nodded his head smiling proudly. Bankotsu laughed lightly and flipped one of his remaining girls down with two remaining.

"Is yours still a virgin?" Miroku asked without the slightest embarrassment. Bankotsu didn't falter either and sadly shook his head. Miroku shouted in triumph as he flipped one of his two people down.

"Is she Kaguya?" Miroku asked. Bankotsu raised both his eyebrows.

"The hell Miroku!? She is a virgin!" he argued.

"No she is not." Miroku replied calmly.

"How would you know?"

"I just do…"

"Pervert…" Miroku chuckled darkly, and Kagome paled slightly. She suddenly felt very nervous being in this room.

"Both of you idiots are perverts…" Kagome turned around at hearing Inuyasha's voice. He had not looked up and continued reading his magazine. She was mildly relieved that at least one of the boys was not driven by his hormones. The silence continued for a few moments with only the sound of the game being put away and Inuyasha's flipping through pages. It was Kagome who broke the silence.

"So bros… You know when Kendo tryouts are?"

"Tomorrow morning at nine." Bankotsu answered.

"Sweet!" Kagome replied putting emphasis on the word. Three pairs of eyes started at her in confusion.

Kagome cleared her throat. "You dudes play?"

"Yes we do. You are actually looking at the top three Kendo players of this school. We are the captains of the "A" team and we've known Master Totosai for years." Miroku said proudly.

"Master Totosai?"

"Yea… the coach of the Boys Kendo Team." Kagome wrung her fingers in embarrassment. _'Stupid Kagome! Who else would they call Master!?'_

"So I guess we're gonna be pretty tight then? Huh?" Kagome spoke excitedly. Nobody answered her.

"I mean…" she continued, "Ya know…being buddies with you all will one up me against the competition when I try out." Kagome teased, gently elbowing Bankotsu on the arm. He back away from her.

"You play?" Kagome nodded enthusiastically. Miroku and Bankotsu exchanged glances.

"We take this game very seriously, so don't go expecting any special attention just cause you're Inuyasha's roommate."

"I'm **his** roommate?!" Kagome cried out. Bankotsu and Miroku just stared at her. She turned around to see Inuyasha glaring at her, barely concealing his annoyance. Trying to save her dignity, Kagome attempted to cover herself up.

"I mean…that's awesome! Bunking with you! Right… roomy?"

Okay…maybe the last part over did it. Inuyasha's now stared at her in bewilderment while Bankotsu and Miroku headed for the door, barely concealing their chuckles.

"Yea… I'm sure Inuyasha feels the same way…" Bankotsu forced out, not even bothering to suppress his grin. "We'll be seeing you!" he added and walked out the door with Miroku, their laughter now clearly heard down the hall.

Kagome continued to stare at the door for a few more seconds, trying to reduce the red flush that had formed on her face. She had never been so embarrassed. And she had a feeling that she had just made Inuyasha's death list. Preparing herself for the inevitable, she turned around to face him…

…only to find him standing and looking outside through the window.

She timidly walked over to him and leaned over his back to try and see what he was staring at. She made extra sure to not make any contact with him, but it was proving difficult considering her efforts with him being a good half a foot taller than her.

"What are you looking at?"

Her question startled Inuyasha, as he jumped back slightly. His face was slightly red from an oncoming blush and Kagome couldn't help but giggle inwardly. Seeing Inuyasha so angry and stoic before made his current facial expression very unexpected and comical.

"I wasn't looking at anyone!" Inuyasha shouted. His answer further puzzled Kagome's suspicions.

"I never said you were…" Kagome replied softly.

"Yea well… Keh. Whatever…" Inuyasha stated intelligently and strode off toward the door, bumping her shoulder hard along the way. He grabbed his wallet and keys and then walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Kagome flinched slightly at the slam. She hadn't meant to offend him. After a few seconds of waiting and realizing that Inuyasha wasn't coming back, Kagome stole a glance outside the window.

The school campus below her was fairly deserted, but one girl caught her eye. The girl was sitting on a bench alone reading a book. She had long flowing raven hair and a flawlessly beautiful face with soft chocolate brown eyes and full red lips. Kagome had to admit, she was very beautiful, but not in a slutty way.

The girl soon took notice of Kagome's staring for she looked up from her book and stared right at Kagome's window. Blushing like Inuyasha had, Kagome quickly moved away from the window and proceeded to unpack her things.

XxXxXx

To say that sleeping in the same room as Inuyasha was awkward would have been an understatement.

During Inuyasha's absence, Kagome spent most of the time unpacking and mingling with the other students. Boys still looked at her funny, and Kagome must have flushed many times that day, but after a while, she ignored the looks. She was a friendly person, and that wasn't about to stop just because she was now a boy, but she had a feeling that she had already made an unusual reputation of herself…

When she returned to the room that night around eight, Inuyasha still hadn't returned. Kagome took that time to dress in to her pajamas and call up her friends Eri, Ayumi, and Jakotsu. They had wanted to know everything… and for once, Kagome didn't turn them down. After two hours, Inuyasha finally returned during Kagome's phone conversation with Jakotsu.

Inuyasha's presence startled Kagome and he still regarded her with a hard look. She hadn't expected him to come back at all. Kagome gulped loudly.

"Kagome honey? Is everything alright?" Jakotsu voice filtered through the ear piece.

"Uh… Yea! Everything is fine!" Kagome stuttered. She looked up at Inuyasha to see him completely ignoring her and shuffling through his bag.

"Ohhh! Your new roommate is there, isn't he?! Inuyasha!" Jakotsu spoke very eagerly and a little too loud for Kagome's sake. She carefully stole a glance to Inuyasha, to see if he had heard.

He had.

But then he did the most unusual thing Kagome had ever seen.

He smirked and chuckled lowly.

To Kagome, that could only mean a bad thing…

"Uh… I have to go. Bye…dude…"

"But Ka-" Slamming the phone on the stand, Kagome silenced Jakotsu's last words. She breathed a small sigh of relief.

"You didn't have to do that…" Inuyasha had spoken softly as he pulled out his bathroom stuff. His comment startled Kagome. She watched as he gathered his things and walked out the door to the dorm bathrooms. Kagome sighed tiredly. She quickly snuggled in to her bed and pulled the sheets over her head, lolling herself to sleep.

Not more than ten minutes later, Inuyasha returned. She peered at him from under the covers. He wore another pair of red and black flannel pants for sleeping in. He was shirtless yet again.

'_What is with this guy? Doesn't he own a shirt?!'_

Inuyasha didn't spare her a glance as he shut off the lights and got in to bed, pulling up the covers over him just enough to cover the lower half of his body. He stared up at the ceiling for a moment, then, tucking his hands under his head, closed his eyes.

Kagome didn't know if she could sleep with him… sleeping like that…

"Aren't you cold?" Kagome asked without thinking. She soon realized how stupid and very un-boy like she sounded right there. Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"It's summer."

"Oh… right…"

"You have a problem or something?" he asked with a sharper edge to his voice.

"No! No!" she stuttered. She slowly turned over so that her back was to him. She hoped he didn't see her red face.

"Uh… Good night." She spoke softly.

"Night."

Kagome breathed in relief. At least he didn't hate her…and he tolerated her for now…

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad…

XxXxXx

I certainly hope you all knew who the "window girl" was…

No tampons! Sorry…it just didn't feel like it would mash well in this story! Especially with Inuyasha… stubborn guy would never admit that he needed them…

Sorry this chapter was a little shorter! Review!


	4. Strengths and Weaknesses

Kagome had arrived in the boy's locker room earlier than anyone else had. She didn't want any confrontations and frankly… she wanted to see first hand what it looked like.

She was disappointed to find it almost exactly like the girl's locker room, except, she noticed with horror, that it only had one mirror. Kagome had seriously debated on the idea of bringing her camera so she could show Ayumi and Eri, but thought better against it. How would she explain herself if someone found the pictures?

Quickly slipping her protective padding and gloves on, she gathered her belongings and headed to the dojo. It was not yet eight fifteen when she arrived and no one else was there. Setting her stuff down in a corner, she decided to do some practice moves while she waited for people to arrive. Tugging her wire mask over her face, but being careful of her wig, she proceeded with her swings.

Around eight thirty, Kagome began to hear voices rapidly approaching the dojo. She shrugged her shoulders and continued on with her moves. The voices and footsteps increased in volume until their owners entered the dojo.

Upon entering, the voices suddenly stopped as they observed her. Kagome froze in mid step, wondering why they had stopped. She wasn't doing anything wrong was she?

And then she heard the familiar voice of Miroku.

"Well, well… looks like we've got quite a dedicated member here. What's your name?" He said, sounding truly impressed. Kagome turned around to face her critic, confirming her suspicion that it was indeed Miroku. Next to him were Inuyasha and Bankotsu. All of them donned the typical kendo attire and held their own shinai in their hands.

Kagome pulled her wire mask off, mindful of her wig, revealing her face to the others. She didn't miss the widening eyes of all three of them, especially Inuyasha.

"Hey guys…" she greeted lightly, grinning sheepishly.

"Souta? You're actually here?" Kagome nodded.

"We thought you were joking…" stated Bankotsu, not looking embarrassed in the least. Miroku's eyes were apologetic and Inuyasha was as stoic as ever.

"Well… I take this game very seriously... so why would I joke about something like this?" Kagome asked repeating bits of their previous conversation. She smiled inwardly at Bankotsu's loss for words.

"Yes, yes… kendo is definitely not a joking manner." All eyes drifted to the new occupant in the room, who had just appeared behind the three boys.

It was Master Totosai.

He was an old geezer of a man, bald, save for some tuffs of grey hair prodding out from above his ears rounding off to the back out his head where it was tied in a ponytail. He had a sharp bearded chin, pointed silts of grey for a mustache, and rather large ears. His round bug eyes seemed to be taking over his entire face. Kagome noted that his eyes held none of cruel and calculating characteristics of Master Kaijinbo.

As he drew closer to the foursome, Kagome quickly remembered her manners and bowed deeply. Master Totosai's eyes widened a fraction.

"Well, well… haven't seen such respect in quite a while. You three could learn a thing or two from him." Kagome laughed nervously.

"What's your name young man?"

"Souta Higurashi." Master Totosai stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"So, what brings you here Souta?" Three unanimous sighs were heard from the other three bystanders. Master Totosai still had a puzzled look on his face.

"We have kendo tryouts today Totosai! Stupid old codger…" Inuyasha mumbled the last part under his breath, but Master Totosai heard him and whacked him hard with the shinai in his hand. Inuyasha let out a grunt, rubbing his bruised head (and ego) with his hand.

"Inuyasha! Show some respect like this here… uh…" Totosai cocked his heard to the side as he tried to recollect his thoughts.

"Uh… Souta?" Kagome offered politely. Master Totosai pounded his closed fist in to his hand in triumph.

"Ah, yes… Young Souta here!" He finished off, walking away from the boys to the back room of the dojo. Inuyasha, Bankotsu, and Miroku shook their heads tiredly and walked in to the locker room.

And thus marks the way Kagome met Master Totosai…

XxXxXx

It was another fifteen minutes before the other hopeful boys arrived. There were about thirty of them in all. Kagome noticed that some looked quite pathetic, not even having any kendo gear with them and having to borrow some from Master Totosai who was not pleased. Some of the boys were rather… large in size and looked quite threatening and scary. She had to admit that she was fairly intimidated by them…

The tryouts began with Totosai speaking the standards and requirements needed should any of the boys make the team. A few boys walked out after his speech…

After the speaking, Master Totosai started the boys off with simple technique drills. Few faltered, some succeeded, and some impressed Master Totosai. Kagome just hoped she was one of the later.

Next, Totosai had the boys pair up for some quick sparring. Unfortunately for Kagome, she was stuck with Inuyasha. He didn't look too thrilled. In fact, he looked quite bored…

Seeing his expression, Kagome felt a fire ignite within her. She suddenly had a strong desire to shove whatever strength she had right in to his face. She could just see him through the mask; his cocky smirk and condescending look he must have been giving her. Fortunately, this fire within Kagome didn't distract her from her objective. If anything, it fueled her determination and focus against Inuyasha.

Totosai commanded them all to begin.

Inuyasha suddenly came at Kagome with an intense speed that most likely surpassed Kouga. He let out a loud cry, and aimed to bring his sword down on her shoulder. She barely evaded this attack, rolling out of the way and gaining her composure again. She breathed heavily not even realizing how much energy she had to use just to dodge.

He came at her again, this time straight on, taking a great leap in to the air, targeting her head. Kagome hesitated for a split second, before rolling to the left. Was it her or was he getting faster?

Kagome hadn't noticed, but by now, almost everyone in the dojo was watching them.

Inuyasha came at her a few more times, each time Kagome barely dodging. She was using all the speed she could muster, but had yet to make an offensive move. After Inuyasha made another move for her shoulder, Kagome saw her opening. Just as Inuyasha regained his footing, she immediately took off, stomping and aiming for his head.

But then he disappeared and her sword hit nothing but air.

It was if he had vanished before her, quicker than the eye could see…

'_What is this guy? Part demon or something?!'_

Kagome barely had time to turn around before Inuyasha landed a hard hit on to her shoulder. The impact had her stumbling down at such strength, dropping her shinai in the process. She could actually hear Inuyasha's heavy breathing as he stood in front of her, but didn't make eye contact with him.

She had lost.

She felt humiliated.

In that moment she realized her weakness.

She didn't have the strength to hold her own. She may have had speed, but she lacked in strength.

Inuyasha on the other hand, seemed to have anything.

The entire room was dead silent. Kagome lowered her head slightly in shame. She heard the shuffling of feet around her as Master Totosai announced a water break.

A hand was thrust in to her vision.

Kagome looked up to see Inuyasha offering her a hand up. He had removed his wire mask and held a soft look as his face. She hesitantly took his hand and he hoisted her up easily.

"Not bad Souta…" he said before walking away to join Bankotsu and Miroku.

Kagome sighed tiredly, feeling the sweat dripping down her back and forehead. She pulled her mask off and wiped her face with her sleeve. She had never felt so dirty and tired. Picking up her shinai, she walked over to her bag for some water.

XxXxXx

The try out resumed with a few more exercises and drills before Master Totosai said they could shower up. He said the results of the tryouts would be posted later that following day.

All the boys whipped off their masks and outer padding before racing to the locker room. Kagome, completely exhausted from fatigue, weakly pulled off her mask and outer padding to reveal a simple white shirt and black sweats underneath. Breathing heavily, she followed the boys in to the locker room, barely registering what she was doing…

She walked in to the room and stopped herself short before she went in too far…

'_What am I doing?!'_ she thought as she observed all the males in the room casually stripping down to nothing and heading for the showers. Gulping loudly, and nearly fainting (from horror) she quickly strode out of the locker room, through the now empty dojo, grabbed her things and walked out towards her dorm. She kept glancing behind her back to see if anyone had noticed her hasty departure.

So focused on what was behind her, Kagome didn't notice the girl walking in front of her with an armful of books. The sudden collision with her had Kagome falling to the ground yet again that day. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and opened her eyes to stare at the girl.

Kagome gasped.

It was the exact same girl she had seen out of Inuyasha's window when he had "not been looking at anyone". The girl was absentmindedly rubbing her arm, wincing slightly. Kagome's mind clicked back on.

"Oh…sorry about that." Kagome stated hastily, helping the girl up.

"It's okay…" the girl replied.

Kagome kneeled down and immediately began picking up the girl's papers and books mumbling a few more apologies along the way. The girl had also knelt down to help Kagome. When she figured she got the last of them, Kagome stacked them neatly and handed them to the girl.

"Thanks…" the girl replied. Using her free arm, the girl moved a strand of hair out of her beautiful face. Kagome immediately took notice of the sparkling silver bracelet around her wrist.

"Oh… I love your bracelet!" Kagome all but squealed. The girl didn't seem to notice her change in octaves of her voice and smiled brightly.

"Thank you. I got it at Tiffany's! It was on sale!" she spoke very energetic and excitedly.

"No way! Really?"

"Yea… what a deal huh?"

"Definitely." Kagome replied smiling, before her eyes widened in shock. She had totally just revealed herself to another girl. She gulped, hoping the girl hadn't noticed. Kagome gazed in to her eyes. If she had noticed, she gave no indication. Kagome quickly cleared her throat and puffed out her chest slightly.

"So uh… I gotta go do some guy… stuff. So…I'll be seeing you." She said making sure her voice was as deep and as manly as it could get. The girl merely nodded and waved as she walked along her way. Kagome sighed in relief.

She was about to continue on her way when yet another voice came at her.

"Flirting with the young ladies I see…" Kagome spun around and brought her gaze downward to stare at a short, but old little man. He too, was completely bald with just a tad bit of grey hair around his ears. His face was a perfect circle, but his nose was so incredibly elongated to the point where it almost covered his mouth. He was on the chubby side, his head barely coming up to Kagome's chin.

"No… no sir." Kagome replied. The old man let out a hearty laugh.

"It's okay young man. Sexual tension between opposite sexes such as you and that young girl is expected especially at your ripe age." Kagome cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry sir… but do I know you?" The old man slapped his wide forehead hard, his eyes drifting upward slightly.

"You must be new… am I correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Well forgive me. My name is Myoga Saito. I am the head principal of his school." He said rather proudly. Kagome's mouth formed a small "o" at the knowledge and she felt like an idiot, but Myoga waved her off.

"Think nothing of it Mr...?"

"Souta Higurashi."

"…Mr. Souta. Many new students have yet to learn my name. I am just glad that I was able to make your acquaintance on this fine day." He gestured to the scenery around them.

"It's nice to meet you too Mr. Saito." Myoga grinned brightly.

"Such manners! Your parents must be proud." Kagome coughed rather loudly, but Myoga continued. "Shikon State is very proud to have you here Mr. Souta!"

"I'm happy to be here…" Kagome replied simply. Myoga bowed his head.

"I must be off. Have a nice day Mr. Souta." And with that, he walked off, leaving Kagome feeling a little, uneasy.

XxXxXx

When Kagome entered her dorm room, she was completely exhausted. She could barely keep her eyes open as she dragged her feet behind her. Without even bothering to change her clothes or wash up, she collapsed on her bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

She woke up about two hours later feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. She still felt sweaty and dirty and she didn't doubt that she probably smelled too. Grabbing a new set of clothes, she walked to the boys bathroom. There were (of course) other boys in there, so she was unable to take a shower. Instead, she splashed some water down her face and back and slipped on her clean clothes.

Her stomach growled in hunger, but she ignored it for the moment. She knew that the kendo team list was up and she had to see it. Making it over to the dojo in record time, Kagome saw the white piece of paper with the names of the boys who had made the team. There were fourteen boys on the list; seven for the "A" team and seven for the "B" team. Eagerly, she searched for her name.

She found it.

And her heart nearly dropped.

**Souta Higurashi: Team B**

Kagome eyes saddened as she read the name and team over and over again. She couldn't believe it! She thought she had impressed Master Totosai with her skills! Heading back to the cafeteria for some food, Kagome felt as if her mood had completely deflated and she felt a sad sort of despair come over her. Her feet dragged behind her once more, but this time out of unhappiness.

The whole point of her trying out for the boy's kendo team was so that she could face the Kyoto Boy's Kendo Team in the Osaki tournament. But now it looked like she would never even get the chance. Kouga and his teammates were on the "A" team, and Kagome would have been lucky to even get a glimpse of them during the tournament.

Walking in to the cafeteria, Kagome grabbed a tray and proceeded toward the sandwiches. As she gathered her food, she heard loud laughter come from her left. She turned her head and saw Inuyasha, Bankotsu, and Miroku sitting together eating their lunch.

She felt a bitter sort of anger at seeing them, especially Inuyasha. He had made her look weak in front of Master Totosai, and she had no doubt that he was the reason behind her "B" Team position. She gasped and sighed at where her thoughts were going.

Kagome shook her head.

No.

She couldn't blame Inuyasha for her lack of skills. It wasn't his fault that she still needed some more practice.

By now, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Bankotsu had noticed her and were giving her odd looks.

'_Great… now they've noticed me staring…oh well, better make the best of it.'_ Putting on a new smile, Kagome strode over to their table.

"Mind if I join you guys?" No one answered her. They just kept staring at her with that odd look. She shrugged and set her tray down in the empty spot next to Bankotsu. He scooted away from her, but Kagome didn't notice. Pulling up a chair, Kagome sat down. She was starting to feel a little uncomfortable with how quiet they were.

"So… talk about those kendo tryouts huh? Bogus huh?" she said, attempting to livin' up the table. It didn't work…

"Really weird how I got on to Team "B" huh dudes?" Again silence… and this time Kagome dropped her eyes to her tray and started picking at her food. She spoke again.

"Do you guys know who our first match is against?" she asked nonchalantly, not really expecting an answer. She didn't even both looking up at them.

"Kyoto University… school rival." Inuyasha answered. Kagome laughed bitterly. She knew all too well of the rivalry between the schools.

"That'll be interesting…"

"Why would it be interesting?" Bankotsu asked. Wow… they were actually listening to her now. She looked up from her food to see all three pairs of eyes on her.

"Well… uh. My sister goes there. And I think she used to date the captain of the kendo team…" she said through gritted teeth.

"Kouga Ookami?"

"Yea him…" Inuyasha laughed lightly and Kagome was once again startled by the sound of his voice.

"I remember him… I kicked his sorry ass last year in the Osaki Tournament." Inuyasha stated proudly, smirking widely. Recollection appeared on Bankotsu and Miroku's face as they remember last year's tournament. They laughed as well giving Inuyasha high fives.

Kagome shook her head amusingly and returned to her food. She was about to ask them another question when she realized that their attention was no longer on the conversation, but instead on the three females that had just walked in to the cafeteria. Bankotsu and Miroku's eyes held poorly concealed desire and lust, but Inuyasha's held something else… Something Kagome couldn't describe…

All three girls were walking close together, giggling at something Kagome couldn't quite hear. One of the girls, shorter than the others, had a quiet, pretty face, with short black hair tied back low. She wore an orange tank top and knee length jeans. The other girl was dressed much more tomboyish, with a simple black shirt and jeans. Her hair was tied high in a pony tail and she had a fierce look in her eyes. She had a solid figure; strong and toned. Kagome recognized that the last girl was the same girl in the window and the one she had run in to after try outs.

Feeling out of place with the other guys and their lustful stares, Kagome decided to join them.

"Wow! Check out those babes! Pretty smoking hot!" she exclaimed. Miroku was the only one to nod.

"Yes indeed…The one in the orange is Keade Nakamura, tomboy is Sango Taijiya, and the last one is Kikyou Nakamura. Kikyou and Keade are sisters, Kikyou being one year older." Miroku supplied.

"Kikyou huh?" Kagome pondered out loud. Before she knew it, Inuyasha's eyes were on her, practically glaring at her.

"Back off Souta…" he warned firmly. Kagome grinned evilly.

"Why? Is she your girl friend? That why you were staring at her from the window?" she taunted. Inuyasha growled low in his throat. Miroku and Bankotsu burst out laughing.

"Aww! Inuyasha! Again?!"

"_Shut_ up." He snarled. Kagome laughed.

"Dude chill…I was just playin…"

"Keh." Kagome smiled and shook her head. She swept her gaze over to the girls again and noticed this time there was a male among them. Although, the girls looked none too pleased at having him there.

"Who's that?" Kagome asked.

"Just Onigumo Naraku…stupid little prissy…" Inuyasha said tensely. He gripped his fork hard in his hand, almost breaking it. Kagome observed Onigumo and noticed that he did look sort of creepy. He had piercing black eyes, and dark black hair that had been firmly slicked and oiled back. He looked like a frail little guy with just brains, but no brawl. His wore a button up checkered top tucked in to beige pants and a brown belt.

Onigumo gave a quick, sadistic smirk toward their table and then immediately began conversing with Kikyou in a very excited and logical tone. She politely answered all his questions, while trying to keep the bored expression off her face.

"Poor thing…" she pondered out loud. The three odd stares returned and suddenly she was the center of their attention again. She cleared her throat and tried to make up her mistake.

"It's just… I can kinda understand what she's going through. I mean… when I was with my gu-girl… gal friend… it was really nice at first…" Kagome closed her eyes and sighed dreamily and she recalled all her good moments with Kouga. Her audience looked a little disturbed…

"We would take nice long walks along beautiful beaches, have picnics at the park, and stay up late at night watching videos, cuddling up to each other on the couch and…" Kagome paused in her memories when she heard the shuffling and sound of movement around her. She opened her eyes and saw that her three "friends" had gathered their food and left the table, leaving her all alone and looking quite stupid.

"But it wasn't all that great!" Kagome called out trying to assure them, but they ignored her. "He- I mean she! SHE was always nagging and complaining and…" Kagome whined softly as she watched them go. She sighed.

'_And I was just starting to get to know them too…'_

XxXxXx

I meant no offense to people who dress like Onigumo!

Happy Holidays!


	5. A Bridge Is Formed

Kagome's head lazily slumped forward and back in an attempt to keep herself awake. Her fingers were lazily positioned on the key pad of her laptop as she stared blankly at the screen, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. She yawned rather loudly and shook her head as another wave of drowsiness hit her. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was nearly one in the morning.

The summer classes had only just begun three days ago and her (or in this case, Souta's) English professor had already assigned them a four page essay about poetry. A few times that night, Kagome had seriously thought of abandoning this assignment, but had quickly pushed the thought aside. Souta was her brother, and she couldn't do that to him.

A few more minutes ticked by, with only the sound of tapping keys and Inuyasha's occasional grunts and complaints. But by now, Kagome didn't even have the energy to answer Inuyasha and his constant harping; although it wasn't as if he had no reason to be complaining. They both had kendo practice the next morning at eight.

Kagome sighed. She was just finishing up the last of her conclusion when a low beeping noise echoed the room. She ignored Inuyasha's loud protest, and clicked on the mail box button that was now flashing with a new message.

The message was from some email address that Kagome had never seen, but curiosity got the better of her, so she clicked on it. A new window immediately popped up, with a quick and short letter.

_Dear Souta Higurashi, _

_I compose this letter in hopes that you will accept my invitation to attend my house party tomorrow night. Despite our abrupt and unusual meetings, I hope that you will still come and hopefully meet me under more… pleasant conditions. _

_If you should attend, please respond quickly._

_I hope to see you there!_

_Sincerely,_

_Kikyou Nakamura_

_PS. If you have any other friends that wish to attend, they are welcome to._

Kagome's chin nearly dropped to the ground in shock. Her eyes stared blankly at the screen as if not believing what she was reading; her fingers were yet again frozen on the key pad.

Numerous thoughts began filling her head at once; it was like a tornado of questions and emotions were spiraling through her mind. Just how did Kikyou get her email? How should she respond? To go? Or not to go? Would this change anything for Souta and Tsubaki? Did she even care? Kagome sighed as she rubbed her aching temples.

"Okay! That's it! When the hell are you going to be done with your shit!?"

Inuyasha's unmistakable voice bombarded Kagome out of her thoughts. So caught up with herself, she could only stare dumbly at Inuyasha's enraged face. He had gotten out of bed and was now towering next to her with his arms crossed, a scowl marring his face.

A sudden thought occurred to Kagome. Inuyasha liked Kikyou… or at least… felt something for her. That part was obvious, especially after his behavior in the dorm room and the cafeteria. On impulse, she immediately shut her laptop closed, breaking all eye contact with him.

Unfortunately, her actions caught Inuyasha's attention. His angered face loosened as he cocked a curious eyebrow at her, genuinely interested in what she was so apt at hiding.

"What are you working on?" He reached for her laptop, but she moved it swiftly out of his grasp.

"Nothing!" she replied… perhaps a little too loudly. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, his curiosity never leaving.

"Nothing huh? This 'nothing' must be pretty important since it's what's keeping you up till one in the morning…" His eyes narrowed suspiciously. Kagome gulped loudly at his penetrating stare. With her concentration distracted, Inuyasha saw his chance. With his quick kendo reflexes, he snatched the laptop out of her grasp.

"Wait!" Kagome protested, but Inuyasha ignored her. He slid over and seated himself on the remaining space on her bed, his bare arms bumping lightly on Kagome's. Kagome couldn't help the blush that escaped her, and with speed faster than she thought possible, scooted over, giving Inuyasha quite a lot of personal space.

Inuyasha didn't seem to notice, or even look at her, as he sat down. His legs were crossed on her bed as flipped open the laptop, the glow of the screen illuminating once again and revealing the letter. Kagome groaned quietly as she watched Inuyasha's eyes scan the screen, his golden eyes widening with each word he read.

She almost jumped back when his gaze fell on her. She idly twiddled her fingers together out of nervousness as his gaze practically bore in to hers. His face held complete seriousness as he slowly shut the laptop. He positioned himself so he was facing her and opened his mouth to speak. Kagome leaned back slightly, fully prepared for the questioning and accusations.

"I'm going with you…"

"What!?" Kagome did a double take. Inuyasha just rolled his eyes.

"I said I'm going with you."

"Yes yes I heard that!" Kagome replied, waving him off. The uncertainty in her eyes was noticed by Inuyasha. He sent her a contemplating look.

"You… are going… right?"

Kagome bit her lip. "I… uh… hadn't really made a decision yet."

"You have to go!" Inuyasha argued, advancing on her slightly. Kagome's demeanor immediately changed as she gave him a glare that challenged his own, her temper flaring out.

"I don't **have** to do anything."

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"What's the problem?! The letter said I could go!" he protested loudly.

"Well that doesn't really apply if I don't go, now does it?!"

"Why the hell would you not go!? It's a party! At Kikyou's house!"

"Maybe I have to study!"

"Bullshit! It's only the beginning of the year! You have to go! That way, I can go too!" Kagome bristled angrily.

"Sorry Inuyasha…but didn't you read the message? It clearly states that only my **friends** can come with me." Kagome stated coldly. Inuyasha looked slightly shock, but only snarled loudly.

"I'm your damn captain! And I say you have to go!"

"What does this have to do with kendo!?" She watched as Inuyasha faltered slightly.

"That's beside the point!"

"Oh really?! Well I think it's pretty relevant!" Inuyasha growled loudly at her protest. Grabbing her laptop off the bed, Kagome shut it off and stuffed it in her bag, before making her way to her bed. Inuyasha was still sitting there; still glaring at her.

"Move." Kagome commanded sharply. Not breaking his glare, Inuyasha got off her bed. Sliding over, Kagome shut off the lamp and pulled the covers over her head. She breathed slowly, willing herself to calm down. A few moments passed by, before she heard the rustling of Inuyasha as he got back in to bed.

She could have sworn she heard Inuyasha say 'asshole' just before she fell asleep…

XxXxXx

He was doing it again.

Kagome could feel it.

Even though she couldn't see through his wired mask, Kagome know Inuyasha was glaring at her. But she didn't care at the moment… he was a jerk for trying to make her go.

They hadn't spoken at all (not that they really speak that much anyway…) that morning, and things were defiantly tense in the cafeteria and in the locker room. Inuyasha kept shooting glares at Kagome and Kagome continued to ignore him. Even Bankotsu and Miroku had noticed something was off… Inuyasha and Kagome were usually able to tolerate each other but now there was some serious tension in the air.

Kagome shook the thoughts from her head. She had to focus on the practice now and worry about Inuyasha later…

"…Renkotsu with Hoshiyomi, Shippo and Hojo, Bankotsu and Miroku and Inuyasha with… Souta." Master Totosai's listing brought Kagome in to shock. Her and Inuyasha?! Out of all the players from the A and B team, she had to get paired up with him. Why now?

Shoulders slumped slightly, Kagome positioned herself in front of Inuyasha, her shinai raised and ready for the spar. Inuyasha raised his too. Both tensed up immediately, ready for the command from Master Totosai. Kagome tightened her grip on the bamboo. She had to be ready. No doubt Inuyasha would come at her, fueled with anger completely directed at her. She had to prove him wrong this time. She had to beat him.

"Two hits and then stop! Now begin!"

Inuyasha gave no warning cry as he came at her. The cry was usually instigated in order to give the attacker strength, but in this case, Inuyasha needed no such boost. Completely caught off guard, Inuyasha's attack landed a hard hit on her right shoulder. Kagome faltered slightly, but refused to fall down again. Wincing at the feeling of an oncoming bruise, she repositioned herself in front of Inuyasha, ready for his next attack.

She didn't wait long.

He came straight at her, crying out this time. She dodged barely and turned to unleash a rebound attack. Her shinai hit nothing. Inuyasha stood behind her, ready at his stance. Kagome quickly turned around. He waited for her to be set and ready, before coming at her from the left. Kagome thought he was aiming for her left shoulder, and dodged to the right.

However, she was mistaken.

Inuyasha had been aiming at her right shoulder, thus his attack landed hard on her head, knocking the wind out of her. But Kagome didn't even flinch. Despite the throbbing pain in her skull, she refused to show her pain. She sighed quietly and relaxed her stance.

He came at her once more, despite Master Totosai's command that they stop after two hits. The attack surprised Kagome. Unbalanced and in a weak stance, Kagome barely managed to evade the hit, his attack grazing her shoulder. She turned to face him, realizing that he was still aiming to attack her again. Kagome gritted her teeth and prepared herself. If he wanted more, then she would just have to take it…

This time, Kagome came at him, but he dodged. And again, and but he dodged. She felt the anger bubbling inside her; her frustration and rage clearly spilling out and emitting from her with each swing she tried. Inuyasha must have noticed too. He was practically dancing circles around her, her power attacks becoming easier and easier to dodge as she lost her focus and control.

"Souta! You need to calm down!" Kagome heard Master Totosai's voice, but ignored it. The only thing that mattered was Inuyasha.

Bringing her shinai down once again, Kagome missed her target. Her stance faltered slightly and she heard Inuyasha's cry as he came at her as she recovered from her missed attack. Kagome smirked, all coherent thoughts escaping from her mind. She growled lowly in determination, her eye brows narrowing in rage as Inuyasha launched his attack. He jumped high in the air aiming for her head, shouting loudly.

Quickly, and on pure adrenaline, Kagome rolled out of the way, dodging Inuyasha's assault. But she wasn't done yet. Just before Inuyasha's feet landed on the floor, Kagome spun around, swinging her shinai and hitting Inuyasha hard and square on the back. He let out a low cry at the contact, and stumbled hard on to his knees from the powerful impact.

Kagome barely registered what had happened. She was still fuming with anger at Inuyasha, and glared down at him as he got to his feet. He turned to face her, and whipped the wire mask off, his sweat streaked face growling at her in anger.

By now, everyone in the dojo was looking at both of them. Evening out her breathing, Kagome slowly relaxed her stance. She pulled off her mask to glare at Inuyasha, who now had his arms crossed over his chest.

"Souta! What on earth are you doing?!" Kagome snapped her gaze back to Master Totosai's face. He was angry and livid, maybe just as much as Inuyasha.

"You can not attack an opponent when he cannot defend himself! And all hits must be aimed at the head or shoulders! Actions like this will get you disqualified from any kendo tournament! You should know better! There is no honor in such an aggressive and illegal move! There is only shame!"

At his outburst, realization dawned on Kagome. She felt the warrior within her completely crumble. The bruises on her body hurt even more than before, and she felt complete and utter shame at the dozens of eyes on her. She lowered her eyes in defeat, tears almost appearing in her eyes.

"I won't tolerate this sort of kendo play on my team." Master Totosai continued. Kagome shoulders slumped even further. She felt broken and pathetic. How could she have let her anger get the better of her? She had probably just ruined all her chances of even advancing on to the A team. For such conduct, she would probably get kicked off the B team for sure…

Grabbing her shinai and mask, Kagome slowly walked past Master Totosai and made her way out of the dojo, all eyes on her.

She didn't notice the set of golden eyes, watching her intently as she walked out.

XxXxXx

"I'm done."

"What?"

"You heard me… I'm done with this."

"Kagome dear! You can't be done!" Jakotsu's replied, his distressed voice filtering though the phone.

"Yes I can. I'm tired of all this Jakotsu. Nobody likes me. They think I'm a huge idiot and loser. I haven't had a shower in days. Plus my roommate hates me."

"Oh Kagome… you can't back out now! Most of the problems you're having are easily fixable! I've got plenty of ideas to help you out!" Jakotsu said cheerfully. Kagome sighed.

"Did I mention that I'm kicked off the kendo team?" Jakotsu gasped.

"What!? No!" Kagome rubbed her forehead tiredly as she walked aimlessly around the dorm room. It had been a few hours since the incident in the dojo. The boys were probably finished with practice by now…

"Yeah…" She heard Jakotsu cry out in utter despair over the other line as he fretted with his haircut customer, telling them how sad Kagome was. Kagome growled low in her throat to get his attention.

"Oh sorry Kagome! Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes… you can pick me up, take me home, and make sure I never do anything like this again…" Kagome cried out sadly.

"Are you sure, Kagome?" Jakotsu questioned softly. But before Kagome could answer, the rattling of the doorknob caught her attention. Someone was coming in… probably Inuyasha.

"I'll call you later Jakotsu." Kagome whispered, shutting her phone. She sat down on her bed and turned away from the door, pretending to look out the window. The door slowly creaked open and someone stepped in.

Kagome sat there, completely silent, and pretending to ignore her newcomer. Suddenly, she felt something hit her hard on the back. She spun around to meet the scowling face of Inuyasha. He had thrown her kendo bag at her.

"You left that…" he stated simply. Kagome merely scoffed at him, and threw the bag against the wall, turning away from Inuyasha once again. The silence continued, but Kagome could feel Inuyasha's eyes on her back.

"Listen…" he started, but she interrupted him.

"I don't want to hear it Inuyasha… I know…"

"You know?" Kagome sighed.

"You're going to tell me that Master Totosai has suspended me from the team… I already knew he would…" Kagome replied quietly.

"Keh." Kagome turned around at his trademark word. He looked fairly amused. "You really don't know anything."

"Excuse me?"

"Master Totosai didn't suspend you. He isn't like that…" Kagome just stared at him. For a moment she thought he was joking, but realized that he had never looked so serious. He continued.

"Master Totosai… he understands the pains and struggles of this sport. He's been there and knows how difficult it is. He's was just hard on you because he knows what you're capable of."

"Really?"

"Yeah…and also the fact that you screwed up badly." Inuyasha added with a smirk. Kagome frowned at him.

"Gee thanks…" Inuyasha chuckled lightly.

"He was never going to suspend you. However, he was considering it after you walked out on him..." Kagome winced.

"Was he…?"

"Angry? Yeah… threatened to kick you off the team, but I convinced him not to…" The last bit shock Kagome. Her eyes widened slightly.

"You did?"

"Yeah… you're not bad Souta. You don't suck as much as you think…" Kagome didn't know whether to feel touched or insulted by his words, but her faced softened nonetheless. She watched him intently as he rubbed his lower back absentmindedly.

"Uh… sorry about that." Inuyasha looked up at her as if just realizing what he was doing. He dropped his hand.

"Keh. Like your attack could hurt me." Kagome glared at him, and chose not to reply. She redirected the subject.

"What… what did you say to Master Totosai?" Inuyasha shrugged as if it wasn't important.

"Just that you were all angry because your mother's friend's uncle's second cousin twice removed died…" Kagome sweat dropped.

"What?!" Inuyasha laughed at her reaction. That was the second time he had laughed within that one hour…

"Yeah… it was the only thing I could think of… good luck remembering that…" Kagome just sighed, running a hand through her hair. She spoke again.

"Why?" she asked seriously.

"Why what?"

"What made you decide to convince Master Totosai?" Inuyasha looked taken back at her question and sighed.

"Well… like I said, you don't suck that bad. Plus it was kind of my fault."

"Your fault?"

"Yeah… last night… and I kept attacking you even after I hit you twice."

"Oh." Kagome replied dumbly. _'So he did know what he was doing…'_

"Yea…"

"Oh… well thanks…dude…" Kagome replied, a small smile appearing on her face. Inuyasha breathed loudly.

"Yeah… you might want to stop saying that…" he suggested, as he walked away from her to the computer. Kagome smiled and nodded. She continued staring at his back as he logged on to a computer game.

'_He's really not that bad… he didn't have to do all that and he did…'_ Kagome thought. This meant that her kendo plan was still on. She smiled even wider. She came to a decision and pulled out her laptop and her phone. With rapid fingers, she texted a few of her friends and Jakotsu.

Turning on her laptop, she sent Kikyou the confirmation message.

"Hey Inuyasha?" He spun around in his chair to face her.

"What?"

"What are you doing tonight?" She asked, smiling. She had hoped Inuyasha would get the hint, but she discovered that he was as dense as any other guy…

He regarded her warily. "Nothing… why?"

"Well I'm going to a party tonight and the hostess said I could bring some friends to come along…"

XxXxXx

I have to say that this is by far my favorite chapter! I love the interaction between Inuyasha and Kagome. It's really hard to keep Inuyasha IC, so I hope I did an okay job!

Sorry for the LONG wait! I wasn't sure what to write. I had also lost a little inspiration to write…

I realize that I am changing and tweaking the battles and rules of kendo a bit, and I apologize if I offend anyone. This just gives me more to work with…

Thanks so much for those of you who reviewed! It really means a lot to me!'

Please review! Makes me feel like this story is really worth it! Thanks again!


	6. Party Plans

Inuyasha growled as he frantically looked down the street. It was completely vacant, and the only sound to be heard was the blaring music from Kikyou's house. His teeth were clenched in frustration as he ran a hand through his midnight black hair. Glancing at his watch, he realized it was almost 8:15.

'_Damn! Where the hell is Souta?!'_ Inuyasha thought annoyed. His mind flew back to the events that had happened earlier that day…

XxXxXx

Inuyasha leaned casually against the door as he waited for his roommate to be ready. After Souta had agreed to go to Kikyou's party, Inuyasha had been ready in a matter of minutes. He had quickly taken a shower and pulled on some dark blue jeans and a long white sleeved shirt with a red shirt over it. He had grabbed his car keys, when he realized that Kikyou's party was not for another six hours. It didn't matter though. He had been ready then, and he was even more ready now.

"Souta… would you stop staring at that damn mirror! You're going to burn a hole through it…" Inuyasha snapped as Souta fixed a strand of hair out of his eyes. Souta was also wearing dark blue jeans, but had a green shirt with a black jacket. He glared at Inuyasha through the mirror.

"Shut up. I'll be ready when I say I'm ready. Don't forget, you can't go anywhere without me." Inuyasha sighed. He was right. Inuyasha couldn't do this without him. As much as he hated to admit it, he _needed_ Souta.

"I know that." Inuyasha stated bitterly. "I just thought I'd never find another guy who spends more time in front of the mirror than Sesshomaru."

"Who's that?" Souta asked innocently.

"He's my half brother." Souta merely "hmm'ed" and continued his tirade in front of the mirror. Inuyasha glanced at his watch. It was 7:40 and Kikyou's party started at 8. They couldn't afford to be late. Or…that is…Inuyasha couldn't afford it. He had to make a good impression with Kikyou…

A knock on the door announced the arrival of Miroku and Bankotsu. Throwing one last glare at Souta, Inuyasha stepped back and opened the door for them.

"Ready?" Miroku asked, peeking in to the room. Inuyasha growled.

"No."

"What's the hold up?" Bankotsu asked, mimicking Miroku's actions. Both looked surprised at seeing Souta and his obsession with the mirror. Inuyasha growled even louder this time.

"Okay! I'm coming!" Souta yelled. With one final glance to the mirror, he walked toward the boys. They all made their way down the hall and in to the student parking lot.

"So Souta… I'm… uh sorry to hear about your cousin's aunt's uncle's… um… sister's…" Miroku attempted as they walked up to his green car. Inuyasha barely concealed his laugh and Souta sighed.

"Thanks Miroku. But I'm okay now…"

"I can't believe you actually got an invite to a Nakamura party!" Bankotsu stared cheerfully, throwing an arm around Souta's shoulder.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Souta questioned, his tone defensive. Bankotsu didn't seem to notice.

"Well…Nakamura parties are the best! Kikyou and Keade's parents are doctors so they're loaded! Their house is huge and plus they've got a pool in the back! It doesn't exactly sound like your area of socialization Souta…" Bankotsu commented. Inuyasha noticed Souta bristle angrily.

"Shut up Bankotsu. We wouldn't be going if it wasn't for him." Inuyasha snapped. Bankotsu looked taken back by the defense of Inuyasha and said no more. Souta smiled. Miroku merely laughed as he unlocked his car.

"Yes we do owe our thanks to Souta for bringing us along."

"It's no problem." Inuyasha barely noticed Souta's glance at him. The four of them slowly piled in to the car, Miroku and Bankotsu in the front and Inuyasha and Souta in the back. Just as Miroku pulled out of the spot, Souta's cell phone beeped loudly.

Souta quickly reached in to his pocket and read the new text message. His face puzzled slightly and for a second, Inuyasha thought Kikyou had canceled out on them.

"Stop." Souta called, and Miroku stopped. He and Bankotsu turned around in their seats to stare at Souta. Inuyasha stared too, waiting for Souta to speak.

"I…uh… have to go…"

"What!?" Inuyasha scream echoed loudly through the parking complex. He gripped the seat madly, shock written all over his face. Miroku and Bankotsu looked equally as surprised, but chose not to vocalize it. Souta wilted under their intense gaze.

"My friends just called… I have to go meet them…" Inuyasha could not believe it. He refused to. Here they were, on their way to one of the best parties ever to be known, and Souta goes and flakes out on all of them. His face hardened angrily, a growl welled up in his throat. Souta opened the car door and stepped out.

"Inuyasha! Stop freaking out! Look, I'll meet you guys there, okay? I just have to go talk to them… you know how girls can be." Souta replied as he shrugged. And with that, he ran off toward the dorms, faster than any of them had ever seen. It was a few seconds before the boys spoke.

"I am not freaking out!" Inuyasha shouted at Souta's retreating figure.

"I wonder what's going on…" Miroku commented calmly.

"Yea… and he said 'girls'. You don't think that could mean…?" Miroku and Inuyasha snapped their gazes to Bankotsu.

All three of them shivered simultaneously.

XxXxXx

And that was where Souta had left them…

Inuyasha tiredly leaned his head against the seat and breathed slowly. All three of them had been waiting in the car, parked across the street of Kikyou's house, for the past fifteen minutes. Inuyasha's patience was wearing thin, and Bankotsu was beginning to doubt that Souta would even come.

"Man… Inuyasha come on. Let's just go inside."

"We can't. Kikyou invited Souta. We just came along for the ride."

"Well… if I had to guess, I think that our dear friend Souta has gone on a ride of his own."

"Shut up Miroku." Inuyasha growled, but it was only halfheartedly. He watched Miroku stare longingly at Kikyou's house, where shadowed figures were dancing inside. He sighed depressingly. Maybe Souta did leave them. Maybe this was his sick idea of some sort of revenge. Inuyasha clenched his fist tightly, and gazed out at the house.

"Well I don't care what 'activity' Souta is doing right now. I'm going in." Bankotsu swiftly opened the car door and slammed it shut, making his way toward the house. Inuyasha and Miroku didn't waste any time as they too, quickly opened their doors and raced after Bankotsu. Bankotsu didn't even make it up the steps before Inuyasha grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

"Didn't you hear what I just said you idiot?! We can't go in without Souta!"

"Well screw him!"

"I think someone else has already had the pleasure of doing that…"

"Oh shut up Miroku!"

"It doesn't change the fact that w still can't go in!"

"Yes we can! It's right there!" Bankotsu yelled, gesturing toward the door.

"No! We weren't invited!"

"So we'll just lie!"

"I think Kikyou would remember who she invited to her **own** party!"

"Um… excuse me?" All three eyes snapped toward the direction of the voice. Kikyou stood there in the doorway looking very confused.

Inuyasha stood frozen at the sight of her. She had a beautiful strapless black dress on that hugged all her curves perfectly. Her hair was up in a bun, strands of it falling freely over her face. He gulped nervously. Kikyou's eyes suddenly focused.

"Oh… are you…?"

"I'm uh… uh…" Inuyasha was at a lost for words. He could feel the sweat building on his face, a blush rising to his cheeks. Luck was with him fortunately…

"He's Inuyasha Takahashi." A voice supplied. Inuyasha spun around. 

"Souta?" Inuyasha could barely make out the outline of Souta across the street. He was shrouded in darkness.

"Oh Souta!" Kikyou replied cheerfully, as Souta's face came in to the light of the street lamps.

"Sorry I'm late Kikyou." Souta said, completely ignoring all the stares everyone was giving him. His hands were hanging loosely in his pockets as he made his way up the path toward the house.

"It's no problem. I'm glad you could make it." Kikyou said, her voice as sweet as ever. Souta nodded.

"Glad to be here. These are my friends: Miroku Houshi, Bankotsu Takata, and Inuyasha Takahashi."

Kikyou nodded. "It's nice to meet you all. Come on in." She motioned them all inside; a gesture to which all the boys quickly replied. They all walked in to the gorgeous house where the music was blasting out their eardrums. Inuyasha heard Kikyou shut the door behind them.

"Oh Souta. I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's friend's uncle's second cousin twice removed…" Kikyou said, sadness written all over her face. Souta laughed nervously, assuring Kikyou that all was well. Inuyasha couldn't stop staring at Kikyou.

'_Wow… she actually got it right…'_

XxXxXx

Kagome sucked in a breath as she leaned against the wall. The house had been filled up to its max. Around her, dozens of students were dancing crazily to the upbeat rhythm of the music. Lights flashed everywhere, while the conversations of the students filtered throughout the household. She could hear the excitement of the students outside on the pool deck, as well as some that were upstairs doing who knows what. Kagome merely stood there, content in watching everyone mingle. It was almost nine o clock.

'_So far so good…' _Kagome thought. She stole a glance at Inuyasha, who was also leaning against the wall. He had a cup of punch in his hands, but had yet to drink it. His eyes were on the figure dancing in the center of the dance floor. Kagome scooted over to him.

"Are you going to stare at her all night, or are you going to make a move?" Kagome asked casually. Inuyasha merely scoffed.

"Keh. What are you babbling about now?" He took a sip from his cup. Kagome shook her head.

"I'm babbling about that girl you've been staring at for the past half an hour. You practically beg me to bring you along and this is all you're going to do?" Kagome stared at Inuyasha's face, but he suddenly seemed more interested in the floor.

"What do you care?" he snapped. Kagome shrugged.

"I don't. I just always pictured you as the confident player guy who has the ladies all around him..." Kagome replied sheepishly. Inuyasha stared at her wide eyed, looking slightly offended.

"Keh. That's Miroku and Bankotsu, not me. I'm not like that…"

"Oh? Well that's a relief…" Kagome mumbled. Inuyasha crossed his arms, glaring at her.

"Don't act like you've got me all figured out… cause you don't…" Inuyasha growled.

"I know, I know. Sorry. I just figured you to be that stereotypical popular team captain person. Guess there's more to you than meets the eye…" Kagome noted, stealing a glance at Inuyasha. Until this moment, she never really did take the time to look at him.

'_He's rough on the outside, but that gives me no right to judge who is really is on the inside…' _ Kagome smiled at him. He locked eyes with her, and Kagome had to hold in a gasp at his startling golden eyes.

"Please don't tell me you're going to go all "Transformers" on me or something…" Inuyasha said amusingly as he took another swing of his drink. Kagome laughed lightly.

"Wouldn't dream of it…" Kagome whispered, still staring at him. Inuyasha wasn't looking at her though. His attention was refocused at Kikyou, who was shinning on the dance floor. He sighed tiredly.

Kagome sighed too, before glancing down at her watch. It was now exactly nine o clock. _'It's time…' _she thought.

As if on cue, someone knocked on the door. The other occupants in the house didn't seem to notice as they continued moving their bodies to the music. Being the host, Kikyou was at the door in a matter of seconds, opening it to reveal the late arrival.

There in the door way stood a very beautiful girl.

She had long wavy black and wore gold high heels with a short mini skirt and a matching white blouse that perfectly framed her hourglass figure. She smiled with startlingly straight white teeth at Kikyou who had a puzzled look on her face.

"Hello. I'm sorry, but do I know you?" she asked politely. The young girl giggled loudly, gaining the attention of several males in the room. Without answering Kikyou, she looked beyond her in to the house until her eyes locked with Kagome. She sweetly winked at Kagome.

"I'm a friend of Ka-Souta. Souta Higurashi." At the mention of his name, Kikyou stole a quick glance at Kagome. Kagome waved lightly and Kikyou smiled. She moved out of the way, and the girl stepped in. A few more male eyes were now focused on the new guest, including Miroku.

As the girl made her way over to Kagome, Miroku approached her from out of the crowd and approached the young lady. He stepped in front of her, blocking her view of Kagome, and grasped her hand, kissing it lightly. Her eyebrows rose slightly.

"Hello beautiful. My name is Miroku. And I couldn't help but notice how radiantly the light reflects off your skin. Would you consider bearing my child?" he asked innocently, a mischievous twinkle glowing in his eyes. At his question, the long haired girl immediately retracted her hand from his, frowning in disgust.

"Thanks… but no thanks." She stated, her face scrunched up. Her eyes fell upon Kagome and they lit up immediately.

"Oh Souta!" she called as she maneuvered her way toward Kagome. Miroku's jaw practically dropped to the ground. Making her way past the other students (and causing a slight scene), the long haired girl threw her arms around Kagome giggling once again.

"It's been so long since I've seen you!" Kagome immediately hugged her back, forcing down a laugh of her own. She was right; it had been a long time since she'd seen her best friend.

'_I hope this works…' _Kagome thought as she pulled back slowly. Jakotsu's earlier words echoed in her ears.

"_Don't worry Kagome darling! I have the perfect plan for you! All the boys will soon be begging for your help! Oh how lucky you will be!"_

"Hey baby…" she spoke with a sultry voice that she never thought possible of her, "How are you Ayumi? Beautiful as always I see…" she commented, winking flirtatiously. Ayumi smiled brilliantly and playfully smacked her on the arm. A few more eyes directed their attention to the pair.

"Oh Souta! You were always such a charmer!"

"That I am. I have been, and always will be." Kagome spoke confidently as she stole a glance at Inuyasha. He was completely motionless next to her, his mouth slightly open in shock. He wasn't the only one though. Bankotsu and Miroku had suddenly appeared next to Inuyasha and were giving Kagome the same looks. Kagome turned her attention back to Ayumi.

"Of course you are!" Ayumi squealed as she grabbed Kagome's shirt, pulling her closer to herself, "You were always _**so**_ amazing…" she spoke the last part slowly, seductively, almost purring at Kagome. Kagome very nearly fell at Ayumi's incredible acting.

"Amazing am I?"

"Oh yes…" Ayumi's replied, still speaking in the same low tone. "You were always top on the list for the girls', and maybe even some of the guys. I'm just glad I had my chance…" Ayumi sighed lovingly, her eyes glazed over dreamily while she stared at Kagome.

Kagome nodded and moved in for the kiss. Ayumi's eyes widened slightly as she stood frozen to the spot, but just as Kagome's lips were centimeters from hers, Kagome moved instead to kiss her cheek. Ayumi sighed loudly and dramatically, her eyes half lidded. Quite a few eyes were on them now.

Kagome's mouth moved from Ayumi's cheek to her ear. "You are amazing…" she whispered, but still loud enough to be heard. Ayumi giggled and then sighed once again, catching on to Kagome's double meaning.

"Go on now baby…" Kagome whispered gently, motioning her with a tilt of her head. Ayumi could only nod happily as she stepped completely away from Kagome.

"Call me anytime…" she said, before walking away, the smile never leaving her face.

'_That went even better than planned…' _Kagome sighed and brought her drink to her lips, casting a glance at her audience. They were speechless and Kagome held back the urge to laugh outright at their befuddled faces. Miroku and Bankotsu's eyes were wide as saucers and Inuyasha eyebrows were furrowed in confusion as if trying to figure out what just happened.

Kagome smiled lazily. "You know how girls can be… right Bankotsu?"

"Uh…yea… of course." Bankotsu replied, stuttering slightly. However, it was Miroku who stepped forward to speak.

"Souta. I had no idea you had such talent with the young ladies. She was practically eating out of your hands!" Miroku bellowed in bewilderment. Bankotsu nodded frantically and Inuyasha continued his stare. Kagome shrugged her shoulders, keeping her "player" facade up and strong.

"I guess I just have a gift when it comes to girls…"

"Indeed." Miroku said, a small smile coming to his face. Before he could speak again, he was shoved aside by Bankotsu who swung an arm around Kagome's shoulder.

"Man… you **have** to give me some tips on how you handle those girls…" he said, bring Kagome even closer to himself.

"Alright…" Kagome agreed. At that moment, there was another knock at the door. Kikyou opened the door for the newcomer to reveal another stunning girl. She wore a low V neck purple sweater and dark blue skinny jeans. Her hair was short, but framed her oval face and startling brown eyes. This time however, Kikyou didn't bother with the formalities and welcomed the girl in.

Kagome heard Bankotsu suck in a breath at the sight of her, and Kagome hid her smile. _'Wow…Eri really outdid herself…' _she thought. She winked at her friend, who nodded slightly, and then moved to sit in an empty chair. Kagome turned her attention to Bankotsu. She grabbed his shoulder to face him squarely, her eyes flickering back and forth between him and Eri.

"Okay Bankotsu, here's what you do…"

XxXxXx

There was no way.

Absolutely no way.

He refused to believe it.

Inuyasha shook his head tiredly as yet another member of the male student body approached Souta, commenting on his technique with Ayumi; As of now, Inuyasha didn't know what to think anymore. His original view of Souta seemed to be rippling before his eyes.

Souta had sent Bankotsu off to try his luck with the other girl. Eri was her name? Inuyasha could not be sure. Nonetheless, about ten minutes later, Bankotsu returned with a slip of paper with seven digits on it and a promise of a dance later on. Bankotsu had never looked so smug.

Even Miroku seemed to have better luck thanks to Souta. Inuyasha glanced over at his perverted friend and noticed that his earlier encounter with Ayumi seemed to be a thing of the past as he chatted comfortably with her. She did not seem at all alarmed by his company. Plus, she hadn't slapped him and it had already been five minutes. When Ayumi had glanced shyly at her feet, Miroku had looked over at Inuyasha, wagging his eyebrows ever so slightly before returning his attention to Ayumi.

"You okay man?" Inuyasha brought his eyes up to Souta's curious ones before looking away.

"Keh. I'm fine…"

"You sure?"

"Get off my back, will ya?" he grounded out, annoyed. Souta shrugged nonchalantly, stuffing his hands in to his pockets.

Inuyasha copied his actions, deep in thought. Judging by the successes of Miroku and Bankotsu, Souta seemed to have some experience when it came to the girls. Some experience that Inuyasha was sourly lacking. Not that'd he'd ever admit it.

'_Like hell I'm going to go asking for his help…'_ Inuyasha's eyes flickered over to Souta once more, his actions betraying his thoughts. _'It wouldn't hurt.' _He insisted to himself, turning to face Souta. He seemed more than willing to help others and they were friends…sort of. Inuyasha had nothing to lose and much more to gain. Swallowing his pride, but still determined to keep it as casual as possible, Inuyasha opened his mouth.

"Hey Souta-"

At that moment, three things seemed to happen at once. Souta's body suddenly went rigid and darted behind his own, along with a string of curse words, and another voice, very loud and female, quickly assaulted his ears. Inuyasha's gaze snapped from Souta, to the new figure in front of him.

"Souta? Is that you?!"

XxXxXx

This seemed like the best place to stop it.

Thanks for reading! I hope you are all enjoying this! Please review! Give me some ideas and feedback!

PS. I don't own Transformers either!


	7. A God Among Men

"Souta? Is that you?!"

Kagome cursed with complete feeling as the directed voice reached her ears. Without even thinking, she ducked quickly behind Inuyasha, hoping that the girl had not seen her. However judging by the anger in the woman's voice, as well as Inuyasha's confused expression, Kagome realized that luck was never going to be with her when she needed it…

"Souta you idiot! Don't you dare try to hide from me!" Tsubaki screeched. She stomped angrily toward Kagome, pushing the other guest roughly out of the way. Loud voices of protest were heard, but Tsubaki could care less. She only had eyes for the cowering figure behind the golden eyed guest.

Kagome gulped, realizing that Tsubaki had indeed seen her. What was she going to do? Souta and Tsubaki had been together for quite a few months now, and she of all people would be able to recognize her. Kagome paled as she realized that all of her plans would be ruined! She'd never play kendo again, Souta would hate her for all her troubles, and if she still lived to see tomorrow, she would probably be disowned by her own mother.

But she couldn't let any of that happen…

She had come too far to lose now…

With a sudden renewal of strength, Kagome pushed Inuyasha hard toward Tsubaki. He gave a loud surprised cry of protest as he bumped in to her. Tsubaki's growled loudly before shoving Inuyasha out of the way and following Kagome. Dodging past the other students, Kagome darted in to the other room. She could still hear Tsubaki's outraged voice as she stepped in to Kikyou's kitchen.

"Souta Higurashi! What the hell are you doing?!" Kagome's ears picked up the sound of Tsubaki's heels clicking loudly on the tile floor.

"Keep away from me!" Kagome shouted, not daring to look behind her. She ran behind the kitchen counter, bumping in to a pair of students and a threesome. Mumbling a quick "excuse me" Kagome raced out the other door, making sure to keep her face hidden.

"Souta! Get back here!"

"No can do!"

"Stop fooling around and get your ass over here!"

"I don't want to talk to you anymore!" Kagome's mind was racing frantically, as she pushed passed various students. The music had stopped playing and everyone was now watching them. Kagome flushed in embarrassment. She hadn't meant for this to happen, and knowing Tsubaki, she wouldn't stop until she caught "Souta".

"Souta!"

"Quit following me you stalker!"

"WHAT?!" Kagome smiled inwardly, despite the furious Tsubaki still hot on her trail.

Squeezing between a group of dancers, Kagome flung open the sliding glass door and stumbled out on to the pool deck. The students outside had paused in their actions to stare at Kagome as she almost slipped on the wet ground. She ran to the other side of the pool just as Tsubaki came out of the door. Glancing through the glass, Kagome saw the bodies of Inuyasha, Miroku, Bankotsu, and practically everyone else at the party stepping out on to the pool deck, watching with keen interest.

Tsubaki was out of breath as she walked on to the pool deck. She wiped the sweat off her brow, mindful of her make up, and straightened her hair out before looking squarely at Kagome. Her eyes glinted angrily and her small blouse squeezed every inch of her figure and bust. Fortunately for Kagome, Tsubaki was still on the other side of the wide pool, and the only light source available was the glow from pool lights.

Kagome bit her lip nervously, still worried that she could be exposed. Thinking fast, she grabbed the wet beach ball next to her, and held it in front of her, blocking a portion of her face from view. She didn't care how stupid she probably looked right then and there; all that mattered was not losing her cover.

"What the hell is your problem!? I am your girlfriend!" Tsubaki stressed out. At Tsubaki's declaration, something clicked within Kagome. She dropped the beach ball, and a wave of confidence seemed to flow over her. At this moment, she never hated Tsubaki more than she did now. She had always known the persona of Tsubaki and she hated the way she treated everyone. She hated the way she fooled others; she hated the way she toyed with her brother; and she hated herself for not saying anything about it before.

Well to hell with that…

"It's over Tsubaki." Kagome spoke, low and dangerous. Tsubaki looked outright shocked at her words, but quickly cooled over her features, keeping her composure. She was always a stubborn little bitch…

"What did you just say to me?" Tsubaki questioned, venom lacing every word.

"You heard me."

"Don't you dare try to be the tough guy here, cause we both know that can never happen." Mummers went throughout the crowd and Kagome could feel the tension in the air. She stuck her chin up a bit more defiantly.

"You're right Tsubaki…" More whispers…

"What?" At this point, Tsubaki's mask of confidence fell and a confused one took its place.

"You heard me." Kagome replied mockingly. "I was never able to say how I really feel about you, so I think it's about time I did…"

Tsubaki didn't speak and instead looked slightly taken back.

"You think you're fooling everyone. That everyone can only see that cheap plastic wall you've put up. You think you can do anything just to get ahead… and that nobody would dare tell you otherwise…" At this point, Kagome didn't know if she was speaking for herself or Souta.

"But… but when you chip away that wall, all that's left is the real you. You become exposed for the ugly bitch you are." Kagome said, her confidence building with every word. Tsubaki's eyes narrowed angrily.

"You think you've got me all figured out?!" she demanded. Kagome's eyes flickered from Tsubaki's face, to Inuyasha's briefly, before returning back to Tsubaki's. She crossed her arms.

"No I don't. But I've figured out enough. That's why I'm ending it now Tsubaki. We're done." Kagome finished strongly.

Tsubaki looked ready to explode. She was trembling slightly, the wall Kagome had just spoken of before seemed to crumble and was down for everyone to see. Tsubaki's jaw clenched angrily as she stared around at the dozens of eyes around her, piercing her with their gaze. She closed her eyes, but it wasn't long before Kikyou stepped out from the crowd and approached Tsubaki.

"Excuse me. I'm afraid that I must ask you to leave." Her tone was anything but asking. It was probably the first time Kagome had ever seen Kikyou look angry. Frankly… it didn't really suit her. Tsubaki glared at Kikyou, and then at Kagome. Turning sharply and emitting a loud "hmmph!" she made her way out the back gate and in to the street.

Silence ticked by, before Kagome breathed a sigh of relief; happy to finally get all those feelings off her chest. Not a second went by when Kagome's ears were suddenly assaulted with loud erupts of cheers and hoots coming from the crowd. She stared around her to see a large percent of the guests shouting and clapping loudly. Excited screams and yelps of "Congratulations!" and "You go Souta!" echoed in Kagome's eardrums. Kagome could only shrink down slightly and grin sheepishly at all the attention given to her. It was as if she had just gotten married or something…

"Okay everyone! I'm so sorry about that…disturbance. This party isn't over yet!" Kikyou yelled happily. She turned her head toward Kagome and smiled softly, before walking through the glass doors. More energetic voices erupted, before the guests dispersed once again throughout the various sections of the house. A few students congratulated Kagome and patted her on the back, but Kagome couldn't help her startled yelp as she felt a strong arm come around her neck and a familiar voice filter through her ear.

"Nice one Souta." Inuyasha breathed, his mouth inches from her cheek. Kagome felt her face heat up, much to her dismay.

"Souta that was amazing!" shouted Bankotsu, bring up the rear with Miroku right behind him.

"You have a gift my friend. And you are a God among us men…" Miroku said. He inclined his head shortly in a form of a bow. Kagome smiled as Bankotsu ruffled her hair. She felt a lack of warmth as Inuyasha released his hold on her.

As the four of them stood by the pool's edge, Kagome heard the three boys talk excitedly about her performance and skill. Her eyes scanned over Miroku, then Bankotsu, and finally Inuyasha before her face softened. She had to hold back a laugh at the enthusiasm the boys seemed to hold within them when it came to girls. Was this seriously how it was on the other side of the gene pool (no pun intended)?

Kagome smiled again, shaking her head tiredly. The previous events of that hour were spinning through her head, and Kagome couldn't have felt more accomplished. She had single-handedly dumped Tsubaki, made quite the reputation of herself, and now had three new friends, all within that one hour.

Oh hell yeah…she ruled.

XxXxXx

The party had been pretty uneventful after Kagome and Tsubaki's encounter. The music continued to blast throughout the house until well past midnight. Miroku and Bankotsu had hooked up with a few other girls while Inuyasha and Kagome watched them, making their own comments. The four of them had returned to their dorm rooms a little past one. Inuyasha and Kagome, Miroku and Bankotsu had retired to their own rooms, all of them in high spirits.

The next morning found the four of them in the kendo room once again. Kagome had been pleased when the three boys had asked her to come down to breakfast with them. The tension feeling between them seemed to have vanished overnight, and all the awkward moments seemed to be a thing of the past. Kagome wasn't short of being annoyed however, when she found herself in the center of questioning at the breakfast table.

As Kagome and the other boys walked in to the gym, Kagome was once again reminded of the fact that she was on the Boy's B team. That day, Master Totosai had split the teams up, each group working on different levels of technique. A few times that morning, Master Totosai had paired up the teams together, and Kagome was almost always with Inuyasha. It didn't seem to bother her as much…

In fact, Kagome had to admit that she rather enjoyed it.

Kagome had pondered a few times that morning on why she still continued to practice on the boy's kendo team. Wasn't the whole point of her joining this team was so that she could be on the A team and kick Kyoto University's ass in the tournament? She had registered long ago that she would most likely never even see Kouga in the tournament, especially with her being on the B team. So why was she still here?

Glancing ahead of her, Kagome noticed Inuyasha tensing slightly in front of her, his stance at the ready. She smiled.

Like she said before, she enjoyed playing against Inuyasha. He gave her that determination, that spirit, and that adrenaline. She knew he was better than her, and that gave her all the more reason to play at her hardest in order to beat him. Playing against him gave her a thrill she never felt before, and she loved the thrill of a challenge. She had a whole new respect for him ever since the party and she now knew that he deserved every bit of what he had achieved. She no longer saw Inuyasha as a threat. Just as a challenge, and also a friend.

Her smile widened.

'_Inuyasha…'_

XxXxXx

Inuyasha strode in to the classroom that following day around 2:45. With a scowl etched on to his face, he bitterly slammed his books down on the nearest desk in the back row. Today was the start of one of his elective classes: Family Psychology. He had never wanted to sign up for this class, but his mom had insisted upon it.

'_At least Miroku and Bankotsu are in this class too…'_ Inuyasha thought. All of their moms were part of the Geisha Ladies Organization and even though they weren't able to learn proper lady etiquette, their mom's had all but forced them to at least…enhance their minds in their presence of others. Inuyasha was tapping his pencil impatiently on the desk when Miroku and Bankotsu entered looking as gloomy as Inuyasha.

"Hey…" they mumbled unanimously.

"Hey…" Inuyasha replied dully. Both boys took their seats next to Inuyasha before pulling out their notebooks.

A few minutes went by and more and more students began filling in to the classroom, but the teacher had yet to arrive. Lazily, Inuyasha threw his head back and looked up at the ceiling, praying to the Gods that the teacher would never show up and the class would be cancelled. He turned his head toward the door hopefully, but was instead greeted with the sight of a confused boy.

"Souta?" he called loudly. The boy in question instantly whipped his head around, before smiling brightly and waving. Inuyasha shook his head amusingly. The guy could be so weird sometimes…

Souta stood in the doorway before reaching in to his pocket and pulling out a yellow schedule paper. His eyes squinted as he read the classroom number on the paper and then snapped his gaze to the class number on the door. Switching back between the door and the paper, he finally spoke.

"Is this room A250?" Inuyasha shook his head.

"No. This is room A260." Souta studied his schedule again before stuffing it back in to his pocket.

"Then I must be in the right place!" he laughed softly before stepping in to the room. He took the seat in front of Inuyasha just as the bell rang. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Made it just in time too…" Souta commented sheepishly.

"Keh. Our dorm isn't too far from the classroom. What took you so long?" Inuyasha asked. Souta turned around in his chair, biting his lip shyly.

"Well…I'm not so good with directions…"

"You got that right…" Inuyasha mumbled. His eyes flickered over Souta's head toward the teacher, alerting him that she had just entered the room. Souta quickly turned around, his back rigid as the woman stared at them.

"Quiet down students!" she commanded. The room instantly went quiet as the students surveyed their new teacher. She was a young woman with a beautiful looking face, but hard and cold eyes. Her purple lipstick matched perfectly with the lavender tint in her hair. Her model like body walked up to her podium and she raised her hand up to silence the remaining chattering students in the room.

"Hello everyone. My name is Ms. Kaguya Fujimoto, but you will call me Ms. Fujimoto." Her tone left no room for discussion, and her sugary sweet voice immediately set everyone on edge. She almost seemed to be enjoying the cowering students in the first row. Pleased with all eyes on her, she straightened her silk blouse before speaking again.

"Now…as you all know… you are all here for one reason: Family Psychology." Ms. Fujimoto smiled and walked over to her desk and pulled out a small box. She shook it gently. Inuyasha caught the sound of shuffling paper inside.

"Being that this is 'Family Psychology', I find it more beneficial if we make this experience as realistic as possible. So…" she gave the box another hard shake, "I have decided to pair you all up with a partner." Groans were heard throughout the classroom, especially from the guys. Ms. Fujimoto gave the class another sharp look, before they quieted down again.

"In this box are the names of all the girls in the class. Boys, you will be drawing the name of your partner and that young lady will be your partner for the entire class year. Since there are a few more boys than girls, one of you lucky gentlemen will be paired with another lucky gentleman. The two boys that draw blank papers will be paired together." Ignoring the disturbed mumblings of the students, Ms. Fujimoto made her way over to the first male in the classroom. He hesitantly reached in to the box and called out the girl's name.

"Miyu Hirotsu." One of the girls in the front row turned around and raised her hand, smiling sweetly. Breathing a sigh in relief, the boy gathered his books and walked over to sit in the empty seat next to her.

Inuyasha watched sulkily as Ms. Fujimoto made her way around the class. One by one, the other male students pulled out the girl's names and made their way over to sit next to their new partner. The four of them were seated in the back, so they had yet to wait until Ms. Fujimoto came around. Looking to his left, Inuyasha saw Miroku and Bankotsu whispering about the new arrangements. They both looked fairly excited.

"Hey…" Inuyasha snapped his gaze from the boys to Souta in front of him who had turned around in his chair.

"Yeah?"

"This sucks…" Souta replied with a huff.

"Tell me about i-" Inuyasha paused in his speaking as his eyes wandered to the right corner of the room where some girls were sitting and giggling loudly. His eyes widened as he recognized one of the girls as…

"Kikyou…" he whispered. Souta's eyebrows shot up at his statement, before he turned around to stare. Inuyasha remained motionless in his seat. His heart began pounding loudly in his chest, almost too much for him to handle. He couldn't keep his eyes off her.

'_Her name… it hasn't been called yet…'_ he thought to himself. Hope dared to flare within him. Souta apparently noticed his sudden silence.

"I didn't even see her as I walked in…" Souta said casually. Inuyasha didn't answer, and Souta continued. "Maybe… you'll be her partner…"

Something about the tone of Souta's voice brought Inuyasha's mind back to his senses. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. He didn't sound angry or anything, but he sure didn't sound too thrilled either. Could Souta be trying to…?

"Something you want to say Souta?" Inuyasha asked, a slight edge to his voice. Souta was one of his friends, but Inuyasha couldn't help but assume the worst. Souta was somewhat of a player after all… He watched as Souta regarded him curiously. He must have noticed the edge in his voice for his eyes hardened slightly.

"No." Souta replied, sounding annoyed. "Just saying…if you like her so much…maybe you should actually do something about it. I could help too, since you seem to need it so badly…"

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Keh. You think you're such an expert just because you had a couple lucky breaks at a party…"

"I wasn't lucky. It's something called skill, which is something you are seriously lacking…" Another strike to Inuyasha's ego, and this time Inuyasha couldn't think of anything to say. Souta was right after all. He had no experience in this kind of stuff. He could barely hold his composure in the presence of a girl.

"Keh. Whatever…" Inuyasha scoffed, ignoring Souta's smug face. He tried to look away from Souta, but at that moment, Ms. Fujimoto chose to intrude and thrust the small cardboard box in to Inuyasha face. Inuyasha peered inside to see only a few papers left.

"Pardon me for interrupting Mr. Takahashi… Mr. Higurashi." She inched the box more in to Inuyasha's face. Sighing loudly, Inuyasha reached in to the box and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He opened it and read it aloud.

"Sango Taijiya?"

"Damn it!" Inuyasha, as well as the rest of the class, looked toward the back of the room at Miroku, who was starring at Inuyasha devastatingly. Sango, on the other side of the room was flushing madly.

"Would you like to go next? Mr. Houshi?" Ms. Fujimoto inquired, spinning around and shaking the box in front of Miroku, who peered up nervously at the towering woman next to him. Grudgingly, he reached in to the box and pulled out a slip of paper.

"Koharu Ito?" A sudden squeal of delight burst out from the second row of desks. A young brown haired girl with a cheerful smile had jumped out of her seat. Her eyes glittered with happiness, and her hands were clutched together tenderly, as she stared at Miroku as if he were a God. Miroku whined softly as he dropped his head in to his hands. He stood up painfully and walked over to where Koharu was sitting.

Bankotsu on the other hand, was laughing outright at Miroku's clear amount of suffering. He was stopped short however as Ms. Fujimoto jammed the box in to his face, impatiently urging him to draw his partners name. Pulling out the paper, he stared in horror as he found it to be completely blank. Ms. Fujimoto let out a low, but shrill laugh.

"Well… looks like we have our all male couple here…" She gestured over her shoulder to her left at a very feminine looking boy with bright red hair, sitting alone in the corner.

"That is Suzaku Hana." She informed, the smile on her face widening. Bankotsu groaned in anguish. Inuyasha chuckled quietly at Bankotsu's crestfallen expression, and watched him as he got to know his new "partner".

"Kikyou Nakamura…" Inuyasha stiffened violently as he turned toward Souta slowly, who innocently held the precious paper in his hands. Looking toward Kikyou, he saw her waving at Souta happily. Souta returned the greeting before locking eyes with Inuyasha. He gulped loudly.

Inuyasha's startled and frantic gaze had Souta cowering quietly in his seat. He spun around to face away from him, but Inuyasha would have none of that. Quick as lightning, Inuyasha reached out and grabbed his shoulder, roughly spinning him back around. His golden pleading eyes stared in to Souta's brown ones. Never did Inuyasha ever think he would stoop this low just for a girl. But he couldn't help it… there was just something… amazing about her. He wanted to get to know her so much…

"Switch." He commanded quietly. That one single word spoke so much more than Souta realized. His eyes flickered from the name in his hand, back to Inuyasha's face.

"But…I already said her name out loud." he whispered. Inuyasha looked in to Souta's eyes and saw none of the angry annoyed look from before. He was genuinely willing to switch with him, but was just unsure if he could. Inuyasha loosened his tight hold on Souta's shoulder. Souta sighed, a mix of emotions flickering in his eyes, most of which, Inuyasha couldn't decipher.

"No SWITCHING!" Ms. Fujimoto's booming voice echoed off the wall loudly, effectively bringing order to the class. Inuyasha glanced up and noticed her looking right at him and Souta, her face rippling with anger. Inuyasha sighed sadly, realizing that there was nothing that could be done at the moment. He released Souta's shoulder and Souta slowly got up and walked toward Kikyou. Inuyasha frowned, and got up to move over next to Sango. He ignored the glaring looks Miroku shot him.

Sango Taijiya definitely worked out; her tanned arms were strong and toned, making her a force to be reckoned with. She wore simple loose clothing, and her hair was up in a ponytail as always. Inuyasha set his books down next to her and slid in to the seat. She was busy looking out the window.

"Hey Sang-"

"Don't talk to me." Inuyasha snapped his mouth shut. He growled lowly and turned his head away from her. Honestly… what does Miroku see in this girl?

Ms. Fujimoto had finished pairing up all the students in the classroom and now stood in front of her podium, her workbook out and ready. Inuyasha noticed on his right, that Onigumo Naraku also had the class with them. He had been paired with Kikyou's sister Keade. Inuyasha smirked triumphantly, glad that at least he didn't get paired with Kikyou.

"Now… today will be a fairly easy note day considering the fact that it is our first day. So be grateful…" Ms. Fujimoto spoke sharply. For the rest of the class period, Inuyasha mindlessly took down notes, his eyes shifting to Kikyou every so often. He gripped his pencil in determination.

To Inuyasha, it wasn't over yet.

He never gave up on a challenge.

And he wasn't about to lose before the game even started…

XxXxXx

I am SO SORRY for the long wait. I have been extremely busy with school and those stupid colleges just couldn't wait another second.

I hope you all will forgive me and are enjoying the story so far.

I didn't mean to make Sango seem like a bitch. Don't worry, she'll come around…

Once again I apologize. Please review!


	8. One Hell of a Deal

Kagome's hand moved intricately over her paper as she drew little people and stars all over it. She didn't even bother trying to listen to Ms. Fujimoto. To her, it was like hearing her mother all over again. It still puzzled her as to why Souta had even signed up for this course, but she had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with her mother and the Geisha Ladies Organization. Kagome just couldn't imagine any boy willing to take such a class, and judging by the amount of sulking expressions throughout the male portion of the class, she figured her guess was correct. 

"Did you get down what the teacher said about thinking patterns of adolescences?" she heard her partner whisper. Ms. Fujimoto had just finished her lecture and all the students were packing up. Kagome blinked, realizing that Kikyou's question was indeed directed at her. 

"Uh…" she said dumbly, staring at her paper half covered with random doodles and etchings. The only writing she had actually done was her name in the corner. Kikyou giggled, covering her hand with her mouth.

"Sorry…" Kagome mumbled.

"It's alright…" Kikyou assured her. She folded up her notebook and jammed it in to her bag. "I know there are far more interesting things other that Ms. Fujimoto's lectures. Like your drawings for instance."

Kagome blushed in embarrassment. Brushing her hand over her paper, she covered up the array of hearts, stars and people. Kikyou probably thought she was some girly player boy who doesn't do his work. Why was it that in front of Kikyou she always lost her composure? That she forgot she was a boy? This was just like last time!

"I usually don't do this… I was just... and then…" Kagome stammered as she tried to think of an excuse. She didn't want to look like a bad student in front of Kikyou. Otherwise, her brother would gain that reputation considering how many people Kikyou knew and talked to… 

But then she felt Kikyou's hand on her own, squeezing it gently.

She held back the urge to flinch outright and instead settled for looking in to Kikyou's eyes. They were a bright and dark brown color, with a soft gentle look that matched her face and expression. She was smiling sweetly which brought even more radiance to her face.

'_She isn't the type to spread rumors and gossip…' _Kagome realized, relaxing her posture.

"You don't have to make excuses Souta… I think it's sweet when a guy shows a bit of his feminine side once in a while." Kikyou said. Winking at Kagome briefly, she gathered her books and walked out of the classroom with some other girls. 

Kagome hadn't even realized that the bell had rung. Coming back to reality, she too collected her things and stepped out of the classroom, intent on taking a nap when she got back to the dorm. Lectures had always made her sleepy…

Her plan was quickly thwarted though…

A quick sharp tug on her collar had Kagome reeling back and choking. She grasped weakly at the material as she felt herself being dragged backwards and down the hall. As she was yanked in to a room, Kagome didn't have to be a genius to realize that she had been pulled in to the boy's bathroom.

Kagome blushed in spite of herself at the feeling of being in the boy's bathroom and having a clear view of the other side of the species. She felt like she was intruding in a place where she didn't belong, which left her feeling impure in some ways. She leaned against the cold plastered wall, watching as Inuyasha yelled at all the underclassman, ordering them to get out of the bathroom. The poor boys looked frightened out of their wits, some of them still in the middle of their business, but Inuyasha spared no one, barking at them to get out. 

A hot flash of anger surged through Kagome. He was being such a bully to those poor boys, and that was a little more than Kagome could handle. Who know he could be such a jerk? Crossing her arms, she waited for his "evacuation" process to finish, before he whirled on her.

"What the hell are you trying to pull!" his voice echoed off the white walls of the bathroom. 

"Nothing…What are you trying to pull?" Kagome countered, annoyance laced on her voice.

"What are talking about now?" Inuyasha's eyes flashed.

"Bullying those underclassmen. Do you take pride in seeing others suffer?" Kagome gritted through her teeth. This only further angered Inuyasha's mood. Kagome had a feeling that she had just deflated his ego by about two points.

"Keh. Quit changing the subject!"

"What subject?"

"You have a thing for Kikyou don't you?" he snapped. Kagome rolled her eyes. The day she actually had a "thing" for Kikyou would be the day that Inuyasha had a "thing" for her (or Souta for that matter). And that definitely wasn't going to happen… unless he suddenly became bisexual or something…

"I don't have a 'thing' for Kikyou!" she defended.

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"Bullshit!"

"Excuse me?" 

"Keh. Don't lie to me. I saw how she was holding your hand!"

"Listen to what you are saying!" Kagome cried. "**She** was holding **my** hand. Not the other way around!"

"It doesn't matter!" Inuyasha shouted. He crossed his arms stiffly. "Besides… you're blushing right now. That alone stands for itself." 

Kagome strongly held back the urge to roll her eyes. Was this guy serious?

"I am not blushing…" she said defiantly. Amber eyes stared down at her disbelievingly. He was a good 4 inches taller than her and it sucked…

"Yes you are…"

"No. I am not."

"Is it because of Kikyou?"

"No! Get off of that already!" Kagome cried. She roughly pushed him hard on his chest and away from her, hoping to create some much needed space. Of course, as luck would have it, he barely even budged. He even looked amused at her actions. So she settled for a staring contest instead.

Her rich brown eyes clashed with his light golden pools of yellow. He held his own stubbornly, his face still holding a scowl. But as Kagome looked deeper, she noticed something else. Something else was swimming within those pools. They say that eyes are the windows to a person's soul and Kagome felt as if she had just opened Inuyasha's. Could it be worry? Maybe a little bit of envy? Her eyes softened.

"Inuyasha… you don't really think that I'd… that I would really… to you?" Kagome spoke quietly, the fire in her voice flickering out. 

"Keh. I don't know what to think…" he said, his eyes now taking on a slight defensive look. Something inside Kagome broke at the sight of his unease. She never would have thought that'd all her efforts to fitting in would bring this out of him. 

"I'm not like that Inuyasha. You're my friend and I wouldn't do that to a friend. So you have nothing to worry about." She said speaking from the heart. Inuyasha sighed.

"Keh. Whatever…" he said, but Kagome could've swore she saw a glimmer of relief ripple over his face. She knew what she had said meant more to him that just a 'whatever'. 

She smiled and considered hugging him, but quickly pushed away the idea, concluding how very un-boy like that would be. She settled for punching him lightly on the arm, as she had often seen other boys do. He cocked an eyebrow at her and she laughed. Picking up her books off the floor, she was about to exit the bathroom when Inuyasha's voice arose once again.

"Hold on…" he commanded and she turned around, her hand poised above the doorknob. It was a miracle that no one had come in to the bathroom yet. Kagome had a feeling it was because of Inuyasha… 

"I can't believe I'm doing this…" he groaned quietly and this time it was Kagome who cocked an eyebrow. 

"Listen…" he continued, disgust written all over his face. "You know that… I'm not all that great when it comes to this kind of stuff…"

'_You can say that again…'_ Kagome thought.

Inuyasha sighed heavily. "So I was thinking… maybe you could convince Kikyou tha-"

"Wait what?" Kagome interjected, completely surprised by his request. She had expected Inuyasha to ask for help, but convincing? Kikyou wasn't some kind of machine that you could just play with and it would eventually work…

"You heard me…" Inuyasha said frustrated.

"Yes yes! I heard what you said!" Kagome waved him off nonchalantly. He shot her a confused look.

"So what's the problem?" he pressed.

"The problem? The problem is that I thought you wanted my help! Not try and convince a girl go out with you!" 

"What's the difference?" Kagome could've smacked her head at the denseness of this guy.

"I can't just bring the girl to you! You have to bring her to you! If I just told Kikyou that she should go out with you, she would have no interaction with you to think back on. You need to show her who you really are." Kagome explained. She bit her lip nervously, feeling the situation becoming a little too close for comfort. Hopefully, Inuyasha would understand…

"Well that's where you come in!"

Nope he didn't understand…

"What?" Kagome asked, completely flustered. Her eyes widened in shock. He wanted HER to put the moves on Kikyou for HIM!

"Just convince her to go out with me. We have Family Psychology four days a week so everything works out perfectly!" he argued. The desperation was clear in his eyes.

"I dunno know…" She chewed on her thumb, deep in thought. Inuyasha sighed loudly.

"Okay fine!" he cried out, his temper flaring to life once again. He shook his head tiredly. "I'll tell you what. You help me and I'll help you. You get me Kikyou, and I'll train you in kendo. Hell you'll be good enough to be on the A team when I'm done with you."

Ah… clever Inuyasha for instigating such a deal. A deal that caught Kagome's attention, and she was helpless against it. She was like a moth to the flame at that moment. Her eyes lit up instantly, her body shaking with shock and happiness. She didn't, no couldn't believe it. If Inuyasha trained her, then everything she had worked and planned for might just work. The overflowing excitement must have been evident on her face, for Inuyasha smirked widely.

"So… do we have a deal?" he questioned, inching forward.

"By the Osaki Tournament?"

"What?"

"Will I be on the A team by the Osaki Tournament?" She wanted to make sure everything would work out before she agreed to anything.

"Keh. I can't make any guarantees on that, but I'll teach you everything I know. I swear." Kagome stared in to his eyes. He looked so sure and sincere, and yet so hopeful and demanding at the same time. She couldn't turn him down; for her benefit and his.

"Okay…" she answered slowly. The smile returned to her face. "You've got a deal."

XxXxXx 

A loud ringing noise filled the dorm room at about six o clock the next morning. Lazily rolling over, Inuyasha groaned and slammed his hand on his digital alarm clock, effectively silencing the projectile. Sitting upright, he yawned tiredly and shook the sleep out of his eyes. Looking to his right, he noticed Souta still sleeping soundly, mumbling incoherent words here and there. He growled lowly, and slid out of bed, stepping over to his roommate. 

"Souta. Get up." He commanded, shaking his shoulder. But his voice was weaker due to sleep, which resulted in a raspy command. He swallowed and cleared his throat before trying again.

"Souta. Come on. Get up." He said louder this time. Souta only mumbled more words and rolled over away from Inuyasha. Inuyasha growled again, his annoyance escalating. He walked over to the closet and pulled out his kendo bag. Zipping it open, he grabbed his shinai and whacked Souta hard on the head. Souta gave a loud grunt of protest, before sitting up in bed, rubbing his head and staring at Inuyasha angrily.

"The hell?" Souta complained weakly. 

"Come on. We've got some training to do." Inuyasha stated. He pulled a clean gray shirt on and slung his heavy kendo bag over his shoulder. He motioned Souta with a tilt of his head. Whining softly, Souta stumbled out of bed and grabbed his bag as well.

"You didn't have to hit me you know…" Souta whispered.

"Keh. How else was I going to get you up? You sleep like the dead." Inuyasha replied, shutting the door behind them. They both made their way down the deserted hallway and in to the cafeteria to grab a quick bite.

"I'm not a morning person okay? Sue me." He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Inuyasha scoffed and opened the door to the cafeteria. No one else was there.

"As if I need money…" Inuyasha mumbled, avoiding Souta's eyes. He grabbed a bagel and some water, while Souta took a breakfast burrito and some juice. They walked out of the cafeteria and out on to the campus toward the gym. 

"Every college student is always in need of some money. What makes you so special?" Souta asked, a curious look in his eyes. There was a slight bitter tone to his words. Inuyasha glanced at him. 

'_It wouldn't hurt to tell him…'_ he sighed.

"Not that it's any of your business…" Inuyasha grumbled. "My family is just… really well off…"

"Your…family…" Souta mimicked, his tone wandering off.

"Yea…" Inuyasha said. Hopefully Souta wouldn't realize that-

"Wait… isn't your dad…?" Souta began, his voice suddenly becoming a lit with realization. He pointed a finger at Inuyasha as if he were some display model, his eyes widening slightly. Inuyasha sighed again, this time a little annoyed. Couldn't the guy see that this was a touchy subject?

"Taisho Takahashi. Yeah… that's my dad…" Inuyasha said bitterly. They were approaching the gym now and it was visible from where they were.

"Wow…_The_ Taisho Takahasi. The Co-Founder of Kizu Law firm? Your dad's company has served some of the highest cases and trials. You guys are supposed to be like… undefeatable in court." Souta said, amazed.

"Yeah… undefeatable…" Inuyasha answered, but hardly looked enthusiastic about it. Souta shot him a puzzled look, but decided not to pry anymore. Inuyasha was glad. He wasn't in the mood to talk about his family, especially his dad. They stepped in to the dojo and walked in to the locker room to get changed.

XxXxXx 

"Open your legs for me."

"Pardon?"

"You heard me." Inuyasha grounded out. "Your legs are too close together. You look like a wimpy little girl when you stand like that."

Kagome huffed, wanting to lash outright at the unintentional insult, but stopped herself. She spread out her legs a little farther. It was a quarter till seven, so they still had a lot of extra time until the actual practices started at eight. Master Totosai had more than willingly agreed to allow them to borrow the dojo before practice. Inuyasha had said that he had even looked surprised. 

"Better." Inuyasha said nodding. He circled around her inspecting her posture. Neither of them had their masks or on and they had yet to begin sparring. Kagome stood there, still as a statue, holding her shinai in front of her, trying to stay steady in her stance.

Inuyasha clicked his tongue in thought as he walked around Kagome until he was behind her. Without warning, he roughly shoved Kagome on the back, causing her to stumble forward and lose her balance. She took a few clumsy steps to regain herself, before spinning around to face her "teacher". 

"What was that for!"

"Keh. You call that a stance? I barely pushed you and you went flying forward. Bend your knees more so you have strength and better mobility or else the wind is going to knock you down next time." He spoke tensely. Kagome sighed angrily before relaxing in to another stance. She bent her knees lower this time, her muscles tensing slightly. Inuyasha came around once more and pushed her. This time, she barely budged.

"Okay, let's work on your speed a little bit." He called, walking over to their bags. Kagome's pouted slightly. She was expecting a little compliment after her hard achievement, but it figured that Inuyasha wouldn't give them so easily. Oh well… she would just have to work harder. 

Inuyasha pulled out his shinai and returned to stand in front of Kagome. Just as his hand closed over the bamboo sword, Kagome's eyes caught the hilt of Inuyasha's shinai. She noticed a small engraving on the end of it, completely unseen when he was in battle.

"What's that?" she asked without thinking. Inuyasha followed her eyes to his sword and held it up for both of them to see.

"It's kanji."

"Well I can see that…" Kagome stated impatiently. "I mean what does it say?" 

Inuyasha fingered the sword for a moment, a far away look coming in to his eyes, as if he were recalling something from long ago. But before Kagome could speak up about it, it was gone just as quickly as it came.

"It says Tessaiga." He said proudly. Kagome's mouth formed a small "o" at the new information.

"My dad gave it to me…" he continued, but more quietly than before.

"Your dad?"

"Yeah… anyway, let's get back to work." He said stiffly. Despite his abruptness, Kagome shrugged her shoulders and set her stance, matching his. 

"Okay. I will come at you randomly, and you can try to dodge me." Kagome snorted. She was definitely going to do way more than try. Focusing on Inuyasha, Kagome readied herself and Inuyasha did the same. They stood completely motionless for a few seconds before Inuyasha came at her suddenly.

Kagome was prepared for the attack, but her mind seemed to freeze in what to do. Where was he aiming at? How should she dodge? She couldn't screw this up! Bending her knees, Kagome made a wild guess and dove to her left. She winced as Inuyasha's sword came in contact with her head. She had guessed wrong…

Her head was now pounding in pain as the pressure of the attack came at her with full force. She felt a little dizzy from the attack, and swayed side to side a bit. Neither of them had been wearing their helmets or masks, so Kagome had gotten the full brunt of the attack. Her eyes blinked rapidly, trying to focus on the blurry image of Inuyasha who was walking over to her concerned.

"Shit, are you okay?" he asked. His hand shot out to her shoulder to steady her. This was enough to bring Kagome to her senses. Shrugging Inuyasha off as if she had been burned, Kagome backed away from him. He looked puzzled by her actions, but said nothing. She didn't speak as well; she refused to show weakness in front of him.

"I'm fine…" she whimpered. True, her head was still pounding, but she'd felt worse. This minor injury would not slow her down. Inuyasha nodded and regarded her for a moment, before he walked over to the bags and pulled out her mask and helmet. She took it gratefully, but just as she was about to slip it on, Inuyasha spoke.

"You need to be more confident and watch my movements better." Inuyasha stated. Kagome paused, a frown marring her features.

"What are you talking about? I am confident!" she argued.

"Keh. You're second guessing yourself too much and you doubt your actions. You need to concentrate on me and watch my movements to gain a clue on where I'm going to strike." With the end of the shinai, he tapped his foot lightly with it, drawing her attention. He continued.

"Sometimes you can tell by what foot your opponent jumps off of. Right foot means he's aiming for your right shoulder, and left foot means left, but not always." He explained. Kagome nodded in understanding. She slipped on her mask and positioned herself for the next round. But instead of forming his stance, Inuyasha rolled his eyes and walked over to her.

"When you hold your shinai, put your hands closer together for more strength." Kagome tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Like this?" she inclined her arms closer with her elbows almost touching and her shoulders up in a hunched position. She had a feeling she had done it wrong. It didn't feel right…

"Keh. Stupid. I said your hands not your arms." He growled out. Standing next to her suddenly, Kagome felt a jolt of electricity shoot up her arms as he grasped her hands in his. Gently, he positioned her hands closer and closed his hands over hers tightly to signal her to tighten her grip. By now, Kagome felt as if her face were a couple degrees over and had never been more thankful for the mask she had on right now. She gulped quietly, feeling her hands getting sweaty and the blood rush up to her cheeks. He released her.

"Put on your gloves." He commanded. "Your hands are all sweaty. Can't have you losing your grip."

Kagome could only give a shaky nod and slipped her gloves on. She took extra time with them, hoping to ease and calm her rapidly beating heart. 

_What is wrong with me?_

XxXxXx

Hurray! You're done! With the chapter that is… hope you enjoyed!

Next chapter will be out real soon! I promise! Review!

As a wise man once said, "IT HAS BEGUN!" 

But what exactly? 


	9. One Step Forward

"Damn it!"

"Well if you would stop moving around so much, it wouldn't hurt…"

"Shut up. Like I need your help!"

Souta snorted. "Yeah. That ice pack just suddenly appeared out of no where to help you."

"Keh." Inuyasha glared at him as he adjusted said ice pack on his shoulder. The cold material was a wonderful relief on his skin, the purplish bruising beginning to dull out. At some point in the practice, Souta had somehow (yes, Inuyasha was still shocked to how it happened) landed a direct hit on to his shoulder. It had hurt like hell, and the bruising that resulted was sufficient enough to support that. Souta had quickly pulled out a random ice pack from his bag and handed it to Inuyasha who took it gratefully.

"That's what you get for not wearing your armor." Souta advised wisely. He crossed his arms and stared at Inuyasha amusingly. Inuyasha just "Keh'd" again. He winced slightly as chunk of ice braised his skin a little too harshly.

"You okay?"

"Fine…" he bit out angrily.

A few more moments ticked by in complete silence. It was nearing seven thirty when Master Totosai walked in. He was whistling happily, but stopped upon seeing the two of them.

"Huh? What are you two doing here?" he tilted his head to the side confusingly. Inuyasha growled lowly. The old guy would never change…

"You said we could use the gym for extra practice…" Inuyasha said, clearly annoyed. He rubbed his forehead tiredly and pressed the ice pack more firmly to his shoulder. Master Totosai stroked his chin.

"Oh yes… I do seem to recall that…" he nodded. "But I thought you were joking."

"Keh. As if…" Inuyasha rolled his eyes. He snapped his gaze toward Souta who was now having a coughing fit with his bottle of water. His gaze was also filled with bewilderment.

"Very well…" the old man replied seriously. He walked off toward his office. "Better hurry up though. I've got the kendo team coming in soon and they need the dojo."

"But Master Tot-" Souta called, but Inuyasha cut him off.

"Will do!" he assured. He sighed tiredly.

"Does he always… act like that?" Souta questioned. He tossed Inuyasha a water bottle who caught it easily in his free hand.

"Thanks. Yeah, pretty much, but it's not an act. He just is like that. Best not to ask him too many hard questions. It's too much for his simple one track mind. He'll forget about this conversation anyway." Inuyasha said shrugging his shoulders. He took a swing of his water. Souta nodded his head in understanding.

"Yo Inuyasha!" A voice called from the entrance of the dojo. Inuyasha watched as Miroku and Bankotsu walked in. They were fully garbed in kendo attire, and held their shinais in their hands.

"Hey." Inuyasha called. His cold hands froze on the ice pack on his shoulder. Quicker than lightning, he shoved the degrading product in to his bag, ignoring how his shoulder (and Souta somewhat) howled in protest. He bit back a wince, refusing to appear weak in front of his friends.

"Hello Souta." Miroku greeted as the two of them approached closer. "What are you two doing here?" Inuyasha spoke before Souta had the chance to.

"Just extra practice…" he mumbled apathetically. 

"Just you two?" Bankotsu questioned, his interest rising.

"Well kendo only requires two people to spar, so I don't see what the problem is." Souta commented logically. Inuyasha mentally sighed in relief, glad to hear Souta playing along. Despite his friendship with Miroku and Bankotsu, he felt they didn't need to know about their deal. It was their business; Business that Inuyasha didn't feel like sharing.

"There's no problem. Why didn't you call me and Miroku up to join you?"

"Keh. Well, Souta and **I** decided to go on a whim and you two were probably sleeping…" Inuyasha replied. He roughly tossed his kendo bag over his good shoulder and headed for the locker room. He heard Souta's footsteps behind him, following him. Glancing over his shoulder, he bit back a chuckle at the two confused individuals standing behind him.

XxXxXx

Practices resumed that day the same as ever.

After Master Totosai had dismissed the team, the four of them showered up (except Kagome) and decided to head on over to the nearest café to catch some lunch. The conversation carried comfortably for most of the lunch until somewhere in between their entrees, Bankotsu's hip vibrated for his attention. Reaching in to his back pocket, he casually flipped open his cell phone.

"Excuse me guys. Someone desires my attention." He informed coolly. Getting out of his seat, he walked out of the café to stand outside. Through the window, Kagome noticed him bringing the phone up to his ear, his other hand hanging lazily in his pocket, an enormous grin adorning his face. Kagome could've rolled her eyes at the cockiness glowing in his violet eyes. She knew the look all too well…

Kagome's face scrunched up as her thoughts drifted to her ex-boyfriend. Thinking of Kouga, brought a sudden feeling of anger out of her. Her face pouted noticeably as she bitterly dissected and attacked her plate of chicken.

'_Damn that Kouga! Using me like that! I can't believe I even fell for his stupid pick up lines and compliments.' _she thought. Her poor salad didn't stand a chance as she pierced it harshly, her fork clanking on the plate loudly. Her other two occupants paused in their conversation to stare at her confusingly. She barely noticed.

"Hey Souta… you okay?" Miroku asked timidly. He inclined his head forward, ever so slightly, in hopes of getting a look at her eyes which were downcast. Kagome didn't reply, and only continued beating the hell out of her food.

"Keh. He must be tired from running around so much today." Inuyasha scoffed. Hearing his words caused Kagome to freeze in place. She closed her eyes tiredly as an unwanted image flashed in to her mind.

XxXxXx

_The ice cubes in her drink clanked quietly in her cup as she swirled them around. Around her, flashes of dancing bodies and fast paced music assaulted her senses. Her friends, Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka were moving sensuously with their dance partners whom they had only just met moments ago._

_She hadn't wanted to come here, but her friends had forced her. Kagome had never been the one to be forward about things. She had always supposed she had yet to find that one person who was worth fighting for. But she always felt she was much too inexperienced and hesitant when it came to places like this. Maybe that's why she was standing alone right now under the dim lights. _

_A hand brushed her shoulder and Kagome nearly jumped up in surprise, but two strong arms held her in place. Leaning back on to a warm chest, Kagome was star stuck as her brown eyes collided with blue._

"_Whoa whoa. You alright baby?" his voice was soft and sweet. It was like music to her ears. She probably would've fainted if he hadn't been holding her so tenderly._

"_What's your name?" he asked, after she had regained her footing. Kagome shyly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear._

"_Kagome." She spoke so quiet he almost didn't hear her. The music around them blasted louder than ever, hopefully loud enough to quell her beating heart. He flashed another dashing smile._

"_Kagome baby…" he tested the words on his tongue. "Beautiful name for a lovely thing like you."_

_There was nothing Kagome could do to stop her face from reddening. She had never felt so uncomfortable, and for the love of her, had no idea what to do. Was it getting hotter in here or was it her? Her hands began to shake slightly. Her new friend seemed to notice and chuckled._

"_Are you tired baby?" he closed his hands over hers. "Cause you've been running through my mind all night."_

_And with that, Kagome Higurashi fainted._

XxXxXx

That moment had happened about a year and a half ago, and Kagome could still remember all the things Kouga had said. When he complimented her always, and asked her out just a week after their first meeting. Being with him made Kagome feel special and wanted.

Kagome sighed. All those years with Kouga did make her feel loved, but she never felt complete. He wouldn't change for her, and she had done all she could, just to please him. They clearly weren't close enough for Kagome hadn't fought for him at all. She had been the one to end it. They had never had any serious conversations about themselves. It was all fun and games, which Kagome knew, would never have carried them much farther.

"Souta? Hey Souta? You in there?"

Kagome blinked rapidly, hoping to push away that memory. She had recalled the memory so clearly, and now hated herself for falling (literally) for Kouga's cheesy pick up lines. Inuyasha was waving his hand in front of her eyes.

"Huh?" she answered intelligently.

"Are you going to eat that?" He indicated her bread roll with his finger. Surprisingly, it was pretty much the only thing on her plate that hadn't been destroyed. She gave a loud sigh before grabbing it and chucking it at Inuyasha who caught it easily in his hand. He grinned sheepishly and took a large bite.

"Don't look so down. Things happen for a reason." His words were simple, but for some reason, she felt herself calm down. There was nothing she could do about Kouga now, and if anything, she had gained some things from their relationship. Now she could look to the future, and not feel weighted down. Her eyes darted toward Inuyasha's and she smiled. Unfortunately, he broke the eye contact and continued eating away at his lunch.

"Alright!" Bankotsu called. Kagome looked up just in time to see Bankotsu walking back to their table, taking his previous seat. He had never looked so smug or happy, and Kagome couldn't help but be interested.

"What's going on?" Miroku inquired. Bankotsu smiled widely.

"Well…" he began, twitting his fingers together and leaning forward in his chair. "I just got off the phone with my Eri."

"Your Eri?" Kagome repeated flabbergasted.

"Yeah. She called me, so I know she wants me. Something wrong with that?" he asked. Kagome felt as if her stereotypical image of a guy was forming in front of her very eyes. And she had never felt so weirded out.

"The one you met at Kikyou's party?"

"Yep. Anyway, she asked what I was doing tonight. So I invited her over to the room." A fork clattered on to a plate. Three heads turned toward Bankotsu. It was complete silence… until…

"Say what?" Inuyasha replied flatly.

"Are you seriously going to bring a beautiful young lady in to OUR room?" Miroku questioned hotly. Kagome couldn't tell if he was curious or annoyed. Bankotsu nervously rubbed the back of his head.

"Look, I know I never did tell you guys…"

"Tell us? You never even asked." Now Miroku was starting to look a little annoyed. She cut Bankotsu off before he could speak.

"Wait, so Eri is coming up to our room?"

"Well, not just her…" Bankotsu mumbled.

"Who else?" Kagome was shocked to hear Inuyasha speak. For once he had taken a clear interest in the situation. Usually it was Kikyou or nothing. Maybe he was finally opening up. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or bothered by that. What was wrong with her?

"She said she would bring a few friends. Uh… Yuki and Ayami."

'_That's Yuka and Ayumi…' _Kagome thought tensely, but chose not to correct him.

"Ayami? Isn't that the girl I got acquainted with at the party?" Miroku stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Yeah."

'_Guys are all the same…'_ Kagome thought tiredly, until…

"Keh… you idiots. That girl's name was Ayumi." Inuyasha interjected. Miroku and Bankotsu's eyes widened as recollection dawned on their faces. Kagome's eyes widened as well, but of course for different reasons.

'_Inuyasha will never cease to surprise me.'_ Kagome thought. Her face softened.

"Anyway, I told her we were having a little get-together thing."

"But we're not having a-"

"Well we are now." Bankotsu cut Inuyasha off. "You guys can invite whoever you want. We can all hang out, have fun, and get even more acquainted. It'll be great!" he said excitedly. The three of them exchanged glances, unsure with how to respond. That is, until Inuyasha spoke.

"So… we can bring anyone?" he asked. Kagome didn't even have to guess twice as to who Inuyasha was referring to. He saw it as an opportunity and he planned to take full advantage of it. The look he gave her, confirmed her suspicions.

Kikyou.

"Anyone you want…"

Inuyasha's eyes bore in to hers even after Bankotsu had answered. His eyes were pleading and yet demanding at the same time. This wasn't technically part of their deal, but it would make things easier for Kagome, and probably Inuyasha. She couldn't deny the look in his eyes, and she had a feeling he wasn't going to let her.

She gave a short nod to affirm his request, unnoticed by the other two.

He smiled.

XxXxXx

"Now class. Today we will continue our lecture concerning the developing patterns of young teens. As you know…"

Ms. Fujimoto's voice was loud and booming throughout the entire class, but Kagome managed to drone it out. Her hands were shaking for some reason, and she had yet to figure out why. Most of the other students in the class were busily taking down notes, but Kagome's paper remained untouched. She slowly turned around in her seat to see Inuyasha glaring at her. His fingers remained frozen on his paper, as he inclined his head toward Kagome's partner, urging her to hurry up and ask.

Kagome gave a shaky nod and spun back around. Inuyasha was watching her every movement. If she didn't ask Kikyou now, her private lessons with Inuyasha would be all over. The thought of such a thing left Kagome feeling saddened and empty inside. She shook her head of such negative thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, she casually tore off the corner of her notebook paper and scribbled down the message. She couldn't risk talking to Kikyou; Ms. Fujimoto's ears could pick up anything. Kagome had already learned that from her neighboring students.

As swiftly as possible, she tossed the paper toward Kikyou, on her side of their joining desks. Kikyou felt the paper brush against her arm and looked down at it before giving Kagome a puzzled look. Kagome's eyes flashed to Ms. Fujimoto to make sure she wasn't looking, before gently encouraging Kikyou. She smiled, and delicately picked up the paper, reading it.

_Wat R U doing 2night?_

She gave a small giggle, luckily unheard by the teacher. Pulling out a sparkling pink pen, she carefully wrote her response before tossing it back to Kagome.

_Have we suddenly jumped back to middle school?_

Her handwriting was perfect with wonderful calligraphy. Kagome almost frowned at the scratchy figures of her own handwriting. Well, at least she was fitting in to her figure as a boy. She quickly scribbled down a response.

_I wish. Anyway, R U doin anythin?_

Read, write and toss.

_No. Why?_

Read, write and toss.

_Well, my friends are havin a little partee 2night up in the room. Wanna come?_

Read, write and toss.

_Who's going to be there?_

Kagome bit her lip nervously, unsure with how to answer.

_Well… Inuyasha's going to be there. Plus Miroku and Bankotsu and maybe some others._

A quick read and response.

_Will you be there?_

Kagome looked up from her reading to stare in to Kikyou's eyes. Perfectly round and rich chocolate brown eyes. They glistened with an ecstatic shine unlike anything Kagome had ever seen. Being in Kikyou's presence always made her feel unsure of herself. Kagome nodded.

"I'd love to." She whispered quietly, but not quite enough.

"Mr. Higurashi! Miss. Nakamura! Is there something you wish to share with us?" Kikyou ducked her head in shame and pretend to be jotting down some notes. Kagome just hung her head in embarrassment, barely listening to Ms. Fujimoto's rants…

…and Inuyasha's exasperated sigh.

XxXxXx

"You're sure she's coming?"

"Yes Inuyasha…"

"Absolutely sure?"

"No…"

"What?"

"I'm joking. Yes! For the last time, yes!" Kagome cried out. Inuyasha had been so incredibly tense the entire night. He had asked her more things within that past hour, than Kagome guessed he had ever asked anyone in his entire life. This moment was clearly important to him, and that made Kagome want to help him as much as she could.

Looking to her right, she saw Miroku and Bankotsu eagerly chatting with their new guests. Kagome had exchanged all knowing, and thankful glances with her three friends as they had walked in only moments ago. Ayumi had once again displayed her amazing acting skills, but of course had toned it down. Kagome would've suspected an attraction with Ayumi and Miroku, if not for the fact that Ayumi had a boyfriend. And Kagome knew she loved him more than anything.

Turning back to Inuyasha, she noticed him wringing the neck of his red shirt. He attempted to look bored, but Kagome saw right through it. She bumped him lightly on the arm.

"Stop looking so expectant." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Keh. You wish." Kagome mimicked his actions.

"She'll come. Don't wor-"

At that moment, a knock on the door was sounded. Inuyasha's head snapped up so fast, Kagome was surprised that it still stayed attached to his neck. She stood up to greet their new guests.

Kikyou stood there in, dressed casually in jeans and a blouse, but still looked as stunning as ever. Sango followed in behind her, dressed in a similar fashion as Kikyou. It was the first time Kagome had ever seen Sango dress so feminine. And judging by the gasp heard from her perverted friend behind her, Kagome knew that Miroku was thinking the same thing. She gestured them in.

"Hey Kikyou. Hello Sango. Please come in." Both girls nodded, before stepping inside. Kagome saw Miroku motion Sango with his hand, but she blushed, trying to ignore him. Instead she settled for sitting in an empty seat next to Yuka. Just as Kagome was about to close the door, Kikyou stopped her.

"Oh wait Souta. I hope its okay, but another one of my…friends will be joining us." Kagome nodded, but before she could open her mouth to ask who, their final guest stepped in.

"Greetings." He called and Kikyou looked away. Greasy black hair tied back. Brown pants, and most likely the latest sweater vest. Oh how could Kagome have forgotten about-

"Naraku." Inuyasha's bit out bitterly, standing up out of his seat. Hearing his name, Onigumo turned toward the angered teen, his lips forming a sadistic grin.

"Takahashi. How nice to see you again. How is your father?" his voice was anything but friendly. Even Kagome could detect the harshness of his tone, and the sudden chill that seemed to envelop the air between them.

"Keh. None of your damn business."

"Technically, it is my business." A mischievous twinkle came in to his eye. Inuyasha snarled loudly, advancing on him dangerously.

"You want to elaborate on that?"

"Oh, we're using big words now are we? A little too late I'm afraid…" Onigumo lashed out. Inuyasha's golden eyes flashed brightly. Kagome stood still in her place. Something was going on, and she felt completely excluded from it.

"Okay, okay. Let's just dial it down now." Miroku had appeared out of no where, and stepped in between the two fuming teens, separating them. If it weren't for the five lovely ladies in the room, he probably wouldn't have done something so brave.

"Keh." Inuyasha growled, shrugging him off. Both men stepped back from one another and turned away. By now, the room had gotten tense and silent. It was completely unnerving for Kagome. Wasn't this supposed to be a party?

"Well now that that's settled, shall we play an innocently fun game everyone?" Bankotsu called out cheerily. Sounds of approval filtered throughout the room as everyone nodded eagerly. And with that, Bankotsu ordered everyone to sit in a circle. Kagome obliged, but as the game got underway, her mind drifted to the argument between Onigumo and Inuyasha.

'_They weren't just angry with one another. It was like they were bitter. Hated each other. Hated each other for some reason.' _Kagome pursed her lips in thought. Inuyasha clearly had some sort of past with Onigumo, and it definitely wasn't a pleasant one. If Miroku hadn't stopped them, Kagome was certain that Inuyasha wouldn't have hesitated to beat the crap out of Onigumo.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief.

The last thing Inuyasha needed was to get in to some sort of fight. Then his future at the school could be jeopardized, including his kendo career. Kagome saw the way Inuyasha played this sport. He was good, and had a passion as strong as Kagome. It was something important to him, and Kagome would be damned if someone tried to take that away from him.

Kagome nearly jumped as her thoughts were interrupted by Inuyasha's startled cry.

"Oh hell no!"

Echoes of laughter around her.

And Kagome could only stare numbly at the open end of the bottle pointing right at her…

XxXxXx

This was actually one of the first ideas I had when I thought of this fic. Muhahaha! Cliffy!

Hope you enjoyed! Review or else… well you know…


	10. Kiss and Tell

Kagome couldn't breathe.

She couldn't think.

She didn't even dare to speak.

What could she possibly say in a situation like this?

"No way in hell! I refuse!"

She wished she had the courage to say that… but she just couldn't… was she a coward?

"Oh come on Inuyasha! It's part of the game!"

"Fuck no!"

'_I'm not a coward…'_ Kagome thought. Bravely she brought her gaze to Inuyasha. He was snarling loudly and pointed an accusing finger at Bankotsu. But Bankotsu didn't look frightened in the least. He crossed his arms, his only form of defense, and met Inuyasha's glare head on.

"You agreed to play this game, knowing full well of the rules." Miroku said calmly. Murmurs of agreement sounded through the room as well as a few giggles from the girls. Inuyasha glared at them all. He was purposely avoiding Kagome's eyes. She didn't blame him.

"Inuyasha… come on man...You spun the bottle. It pointed at Souta. You have to kiss him…" Bankotsu said, smirking. Next to him, Miroku tried desperately to hide his chuckle.

"Easy for you to say! You don't have to do it! I bet you wouldn't do it if you had to!"

"Who says I wouldn't? I know the risks and… benefits I'm taking."

"Keh. I'll believe that when I see i- quit laughing Miroku!" Inuyasha yelled, whirling on the poor teen who was clutching his sides as suppressed laughter racked his body. He wiped a tear out of his eye.

"My apologies Inuyasha…" But Inuyasha just Keh'd again. Bankotsu suddenly turned toward her.

"Hey Souta…" Kagome looked up.

"What?" she tried to appear uninterested.

"You alright with all this?" Kagome could've smack Bankotsu. His smile was wide and his eyes glowed with mischief and a playful gleam. He was enjoying this immensely. Kagome scowled and stood up.

"What do you think?" she challenged sarcastically.

Bankotsu scoffed. "It was just a question. No need to get so touchy…"

"I'm not getting touchy. That was your question, and that was my answer." Kagome lashed. Bankotsu frowned.

"I don't care what you guys say. I'm not doing it…" Inuyasha spoke up once again. He was stubborn, that's for sure. And this time, Kagome didn't dare to pressure him. Especially in this situation… Kagome's face flamed red as she realized where her thoughts were going.

'_Kissing Inuyasha…' _She thought, the heat rushing up to her face and all over her body. She couldn't help but imagine it. What was this feeling? Nervousness? Fear? Excitement? She glanced at Inuyasha who was looking right at her.

An unfamiliar feeling suddenly filled her up. This was nothing like it had been with Kouga. It was a feeling that she welcomed and relished. She wanted to enjoy this moment. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted him to kiss her. She wished he was looking at her, thinking what she was thinking.

But he wasn't.

Kagome wasn't dumb. She knew that was the farthest thing from his mind, naturally given their "relationship". The look in his eyes confirmed it. It was neither hatred nor desire. It wasn't intense or passionate. Just a blank stare. She wondered, just what he must've been thinking. At least he didn't hate her. But he still didn't, couldn't, want it like she did. If he had been thinking that, she might've felt a little… awkward.

"What's wrong Inuyasha?" Naraku's voice chimed in. "Are you scared?"

Inuyasha snarled savagely, his eyes flashing dangerously. He was barely restraining himself.

"So that's it isn't it?" Naraku cooed. He began inspecting his fingernails. _'What a weirdo…' _Kagome thought.

"You're afraid. Afraid of doing what's expected of you. Afraid to take chances. How typical of you…" Naraku continued. However, his eyes glowed with an all knowing look at Inuyasha. This was stretching it to something far beyond a simple game of spin the bottle. Inuyasha growled.

"You bastard…" Inuyasha rumbled low in his throat. "I'm not afraid of anything…"

Naraku chuckled. "Then prove it."

Kagome knew she should've seen that coming. How cliché this situation was turning out to be.

All pairs of eyes were on Inuyasha now, as he clenched and unclenched his fist tightly. His bangs covered most of his eyes, but Kagome could still see the turmoil that raged within them. Her eyes softened.

"Guys…" she spoke, "He shouldn't have to do it if he doesn't want to…" Kagome didn't care how un-boyish she sounded. She didn't even mind all the stunned looks everyone was giving her. All that mattered was Inuyasha. And the look he gave her made it all worth it. His mouth may have been set in to a tight line, but his golden eyes shimmered with something she had never seen before. Surprise and gratitude.

"On the contrary…" Naraku interrupted, slyly. "I believe this is part of the game…"

Kagome nearly growled like Inuyasha as she spun around to face the little nerd. She had barely known him for more than twenty minutes and she already wanted to beat the crap out of him. She was about five seconds from doing something she might regret when…

"Fine…"

Her heart stopped. Her eyes, just like everyone else's, were wide as saucers staring at her roommate. Inuyasha's arms were crossed tightly, and he looked none too happy about what he has just agreed to. But Kagome had known Inuyasha long enough to understand. He would never back down from a challenge. He was holding on to the last thing he had.

Pride.

"Inuyasha?" she said, and he looked at her. Unconsciously, she back away one step under the intensity of his gaze.

"Alright!" Bankotsu cheered. The girl's giggled, and the other boys smirked widely. "Let's have at it!"

Gulping quietly, Inuyasha walked over to Kagome until he was standing right next to her. Her face was red once again, and she had never felt so uncomfortable, but forced herself to hold her composure. She had to remember who she was, and who she was supposed to be. Now was the worst time to forget that.

"Whatever…" she mumbled, her voice betraying what she really felt. She locked eyes with him and he sighed, before moving his lips closer to hers.

"Hey! How about a time requirement?" Yuka added, a twinkle in her eyes. Her three friends exchanged playful looks and Kagome shot them a glare. They all laughed.

"I agree… that is a fantastic idea."

"Shut it Miroku…let me just get this over with…" Inuyasha growled, glancing over his shoulder at his friend. Kagome felt a sting from his words, but quickly brushed it off. Inuyasha returned his gaze to her. He shook his head and refocused his attention to her. He eyed her lips hesitantly, before slowly leaning in.

His lips found hers.

It was hardly a kiss. It only lasted for a fleeting second. But to Kagome, it was heaven on earth. His lips, through rough and rushed, were soft as she had imagined. An eruption of heat and fire that was once dormant within her, raged out wildly. It overwhelmed her, strengthened her, but most of all, it excited her. It was strange. She felt the coldness and rigid feeling from Inuyasha's lips, but the fire and intensity within her seemed to even it all out. They were like opposites. Fire and ice, mending together perfectly, in the most amazing way she had ever felt.

He pulled away.

The loss of contact had her feeling detached and lonely. She opened her eyes, just in time to see him bolt out the door.

XxXxXx

After Inuyasha had left, it was complete silence, everyone watching the door as if expecting him to return. But he never did and Kagome couldn't help but feel saddened by his departure, especially since she knew that she was the reason for his absence. She felt sick inside. The night resumed slowly, and eventually picked up enthusiasm as more games got underway, but Kagome could barely focus. She put up a good front, but her three friends were able to detect it easily. Halfway through Twister, Yuka pulled her aside.

"Souta? Could I talk to you in the hallway for a second?" she wrapped her arms around her neck, in a suggestive way, and Kagome immediately caught on. Miroku's eyebrows wagged at the boldness of Yuka and gave Kagome a thumbs up.

"Sure…" Kagome replied, smiling a strained smile. Winking flirtatious, Yuka led her out in to the hall. The heated look from her eyes vanished just as she shut the door behind them. Kagome sighed, letting all her exhaustion out.

"Kags?" Yuka inquired. "Are you okay? You seem a little down. All of us have noticed."

Kagome nodded her head. "I'm fine…"

Yuka shook her head. "You can't lie to me Kagome Higurashi. I've known you too long. Something's bothering you…"

Kagome dropped her gaze to the floor. Of course something was bothering her. It had been like that ever since Inuyasha left. He had left so abruptly, so quickly. She had never felt so guilty watching him leave. She felt terrible and tired.

"Kagome… talk to me…."

"It's nothing…" Kagome insisted.

"It's Inuyasha…" Yuka stated. Kagome was silent, and that confirmed it for Yuka.

"You really care about him, don't you." It wasn't a question.

Kagome had never felt like this before. Worrying like this over a guy she had barely met just a little over a week ago. She wanted to make sure he was okay. He seemed so lonely half the time, and his family, from what Kagome had gathered, hadn't been very supportive either. She wanted to be there for him. She had to go see him.

"Yuka…I'm sorry. Tell everyone I'm sorry. I've got to go…" She didn't give her a reason, and she didn't need to. Understanding flashed in Yuka's eyes.

"Okay Kagome…" Yuka whispered and Kagome nodded. She walked down the hall toward the stairs.

"Kagome!" Yuka called, and she turned around. "Be careful. I mean… well you know what I mean… I hate to see you look so sad. You were so sad when Kouga left, and now, seeing you look so happy. I don't want to see you sad again just because of someone else…"

Kagome smiled, feeling tears coming in to her eyes. "Thanks Yuka. Don't worry, I won't."

She walked away.

XxXxXx

Kagome walked in to the dojo a little before eleven. She had almost considered going to back to the room, but something told her she would find Inuyasha here. She saw him, the only figure in the empty dojo. He was fully garbed in his kendo uniform and was doing some hard practice swings at a target dummy. The full moon peaked from behind the clouds and cast through the open door, causing Inuyasha's body to glow in a godly way and making him seem even more powerful and graceful.

She smiled, seeing her friend work so hard, his labored breaths coming out in pants. He must've been here for quite some time. After a few seconds of just watching him, she finally decided to make her entrance. She stepped inside, the hard wood creaking under her weight. She stopped as his gaze snapped toward her. She smiled sheepishly.

He relaxed, and pulled off his mask, shaking the hair out of his face. She couldn't stop looking at him.

"Uh… hey Inuyasha…" she began.

"We need to get that floor fixed…" he commented, cutting her off. She blinked and looked down at the old floor board beneath her.

"I guess so…" she agreed. She stepped forward, hearing another creak from the wood and smiled, her attention diverted.

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked. He wasn't angry, and Kagome was thankful for this. She sighed.

"Just… walking around…" she answered simply.

"Walking around?"

"Yep."

"At this hour?

"Yep."

"What about the party?"

"Parties are for losers…" she said nonchalantly, waving the subject off. He looked at her, confused at first, but then he smirked. To see that look on his face made Kagome's heart soar. He looked happy again and she was so glad.

The conversation was broken for a moment as Inuyasha walked over to his kendo bag and pulled out a bottle of water. He sat down. She couldn't stop watching him. He didn't notice.

"Isn't it a little too late to be practicing?" she asked, hoping to start the conversation again. She felt comfortable, even when she was just talking to him. He shook his head and frowned as if the very thought of it was astonishing.

"It's never too late…"

"Really now?"

"I could play all day…" he spoke softly. He broke his gaze with her and looked away, as if troubled by something. She took that moment to walk over to him and sat down next to him. His head was bowed.

"Inuyasha?"

"When I play…" he began, "it's like the only time where I can be myself…"

Kagome nodded. "I feel that way too…"

"Hmm?"

"When I play… I feel free and unstoppable. It's like I've escaped to a place where no one can touch me." Kagome said. She closed her eyes.

"Yeah…"

"I feel stronger and more confident in what I can do…" she continued. He nodded.

A comfortable silence stretched on.

Kagome opened her eyes. "I could too…"

"Huh?" Inuyasha asked. He looked at her, golden eyes shinning. She laughed lightly.

"I could play all day too…everyday, every night…"

"I see…" Inuyasha spoke aimlessly. She looked back at him, but he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were focused on the full moon outside. Kagome watched it too, wishing she could live in this moment forever.

She laughed quietly to herself for thinking such silly things. Dusting off her jeans, she stood up and walked over to the corner of the dojo where a rack of shinais where organized. She grabbed one of them, tested the grip in her hand, and walked over to Inuyasha who gave her a puzzled look.

"Let's spar…" she said.

"You want to spar now?" he asked surprised. He surveyed her, up and down, obviously noting her lack of kendo attire. He was fully dressed and she was wearing a simple shirt and jeans.

"Yes. You said you could spar all day. You're not going back on your word now are you? Don't tell me you're scared?" she teased. His eyebrows narrowed and he laughed.

"You wish…" he said. He took his stance in front of her.

"Confident are we?"

"You know it…"

"That's not going to be enough…" Kagome said, shaking her head tiredly in a joking manner. She saw the challenge in his eyes. He cracked his knuckles.

"You obviously don't know me well enough then…" he replied lightly, an air of arrogance surrounding him. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"As if. I know you plenty well enough…" He cocked his eyebrow, giving her a speculating look.

She laughed. "Tell you what," she continued, "You beat me, and I might just let you kiss me again…"

"Keh… you wish. I'm not doing anything like that… but I'm still going to win." He said, smirking widely.

Kagome smiled, and tightened her grip on her weapon. _'Maybe I'll let you win, just this once…'_

XxXxXx

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this…"

"It's not so bad once you get used to it…"

"Oh?" Kagome asked, now interested, "Do you have experience in this sort of…thing or something?"

Kikyou laughed, and grabbed the baby diaper as Kagome lifted the doll's legs in to the air. "I had to change my cousin's diaper a lot. So I guess you could say I got used to it…"

"Lucky you…" Kagome muttered. She adjusted her hold on the electronic baby and tried to position the diaper under it. It was two days after the party incident and today, Ms. Fujimoto had the class learn how to take care of a baby. Starting with changing the diaper of course. Kagome looked around the room and noticed the annoyed looks on everyone's faces. Nobody wanted to do this. Well maybe except Kikyou… At least they didn't smell like the real thing.

"God dammit…" Inuyasha cursed. The doll had slipped from his hands and had rolled off the desk and on to the floor. It bounced two times before rolling over and stopping at the feet of Ms. Fujimoto. She looked quite menacing right then and there and Inuyasha gulped.

"Mr. Takahashi… I suggest you take better care of your 'child'. Unlike you, the rest of us don't prefer to see our babies bouncing around…" Her voice was icy and slick, causing the classroom to quiet down slightly.

"Keh… I don't like it either, but maybe if you could get Ms. Taijiya to help me out, this stupid doll wouldn't be bouncing around!" he cried, eyes flickering over to his partner.

Ms. Fujimoto frowned and snapped her eyes toward Sango who was twitting her thumbs nervously on the table. Unlike Inuyasha, her hands were free of baby powder. She didn't look at the teacher, and didn't even flinch as her thundering voice reached her ears.

"Ms. Taijiya. Parenting is a team effort. I better see some effort or your grade will suffer the consequences…" she spat, and then walked away to monitor the other students. Sango huffed quietly before pouring some baby powder on her hands and setting to work on the task at hand. Inuyasha back away, and let her work.

Kagome smiled at the startled look on Inuyasha's face. He could be so ridiculous sometimes…

"Those two sure are something…" Kikyou pondered out loud. Kagome nodded.

"Yeah. They will definitely have some trouble when we start getting in to even more partner stuff."

"Indeed."

After a few minutes, Kagome finally finished adjusting the diaper on the baby. She held it up to survey it. It was a little off and crooked, but she felt accomplished.

"Well done…" Kikyou said. "Except it's on backwards…"

Kagome blinked and started at the doll. So that's why its butt was so flat…

"It's fine. I'll fix it…" Kikyou supplied. Expertly, Kikyou rubbed her hands in the white powder and maneuvered the diaper on the doll. Kagome watched doe eyed.

"Wow you're good…"

"Thank you…" After Kikyou had finished with the diaper, Kagome glanced over to Inuyasha and Sango. This time, they were arguing about something. She couldn't hear them perfectly, but she guessed that they were having the same issue that she just had.

"Kikyou?"

"Yes?"

"May I ask… why is Sango so bitter toward Inuyasha?"

Kikyou chuckled as she wiped the table clean of all the powder. "Sango is like that with all boys."

"True…" Kagome agreed, biting her lip. "But it seems with Inuyasha, she's even more so…"

Kikyou sighed. "I suppose so."

"Do you know what happened?" Kagome asked. Her thoughts drifted to the worse. Had Inuyasha gone out with Sango? Had they had a relationship? Something in the pit of Kagome's stomach churned at the thought.

Luckily, Kikyou shook her head. "I don't know much. Sango doesn't like to talk about it. It's nothing to do with Inuyasha exactly. But it does have something to do with Inuyasha's family. That much I'm sure. The rest, I don't know…"

"Oh…" Kagome mumbled. She looked over at her roommate once more to see him glaring at her. He inclined his head toward Kikyou and Kagome snapped out of her daze.

She had almost forgotten. She was supposed to be getting Kikyou for Inuyasha. Oh how soon she forgot.

Kagome rubbed her eyes tiredly. This whole situation with Kikyou was making her feel worse by the minute. She felt a sort of bitterness and envy of Kikyou that she couldn't explain. It made her almost angry at Kikyou, but she quickly pushed that feeling away. She had no right to feel this way. She had to remember what she had promised to Inuyasha…

"You're right Kikyou. It couldn't have anything to do with Inuyasha…" Kagome chided as if that thought was utterly ridiculous.

"What do you mean?" Kikyou asked, curious.

"Well… I've only known Inuyasha for a while, but he's a really nice guy. He couldn't have done anything to upset Sango. He's not that kind of guy…" Her words were true, but for some reason, they felt like acid in her mouth. And she had a feeling it had to do with the fact that she was speaking to Kikyou…

"I see…" Kikyou said quietly.

"Yeah. He's a really…great guy…" Kagome added. Something inside her broke, making her feel even more disgusted with herself.

"That's… true…but you're a really great guy too…"

"What?" Kagome asked, startled. She made sure to keep her volume low, but she couldn't help a few heads that turned toward them.

"Don't feel overshadowed by Inuyasha…" Kikyou continued.

'_Oh great… now she's taking my sadness in the wrong way…'_ Kagome thought.

"Kikyou… it's not like that…" Kagome assured.

"Oh…" she replied, that part of the subject dropping from her mind. "But still… you're a great guy too Souta…"

"I am?"

"Yes. Like at the party. I thought it was really sweet how you stood up for Inuyasha. Saying he didn't have to do it if he didn't want to. It takes a lot of courage to do something like that…" Her eyes shined with admiration and Kagome couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

"Gee… thanks Kikyou…"

She beamed at him.

And Kagome was speechless.

XxXxXx

Please don't kill me. I am so sorry.

This month has been hectic. I had to choose a college and deal with some major senioritis. It is real! I'm not sure if I can get another chapter by next week. That's when the AP tests are so I have so major studying to do. Once again, I apologize. Please bear with me! You can read some of my other one shots in the mean time!

I loved this chapter. Favorite one so far. It was hard to write at first cause I was like forcing myself to write because I haven't updated in a while, but I think it picked up nicely. I hope you guys liked it!

I love you guys! Thanks for your support! Please review!


	11. Over the River and Through the Woods

"No… seriously…."

"I am serious!"

"Come on Souta… surely there is someone better than that…" Inuyasha supplied.

Souta rolled his eyes. "For your information Inuyasha… I happen to idolize many other kendo legends other than you…"

Inuyasha's shoulders shook once again with suppressed laughter. He felt oddly upbeat this morning. "Honestly?"

"Yes of course! Eiga Naoki is an amazing kendo master! His technique is flawless, plus he's a world champion!" Souta cried. His tone was nothing short of admiring, and his pointed look at Inuyasha emphasized his opinion.

"I know who he is…" Inuyasha scoffed. "But I mean… he's not **that** great… at least when you compare him to someone like Miyazaki Masahiro." He said proudly. Both boys walked briskly down the beaten path toward the dojo. The early Friday morning air was crisp and fresh, just like every morning. It was expected by now, their morning practices quickly becoming routine ever since their deal.

"Miyazaki Masahiro's cuts are so clean and his speed is unmatched. He's a legend and a master of the kendo art. They say sparing against him is like fighting against one of the Gods." Inuyasha finished, smiling smugly. They both turned a corner, the dojo now in full view.

"Eiga Naoki has beaten Masahiro in a match before." Souta pointed out.

"Keh. That was just one match. But when you compare all of Miyazaki Masahiro's accomplishments with Naoki, you can clearly see who dominates."

"Yeah, whatever. Just keep telling yourself that Inuyasha…" Souta said amusingly. Inuyasha glanced over at his roommate, noting the roll of his eyes. He pushed him playfully and Souta went stumbling to the side. He half expected Souta to push him back, but he did not. His roommate settled for throwing him a glare instead. Inuyasha smirked.

"Come on…" Inuyasha commanded. Souta merely "hmph'ed" and followed Inuyasha up the steps.

As they entered the old building, they were surprised to find it completely filled with people. Workers from the school to be more precise, and from Inuyasha's perspective, they looked as if they were doing some construction. It was loud in the dojo, the planks of wood the men were holding were rattling hard on the ground and all of the workers chatted with one another. Inuyasha spotted Master Totosai in the corner of the dojo and strode over to him, Souta following.

"Hey Totosai, what's going on?" Inuyasha asked. Master Totosai looked up to see his students approaching him and he shook his head tiredly. He looked weak and exhausted as if he hadn't gotten much sleep. His hands were folded behind his back, his old aged back leaning forward slightly.

"Inuyasha… Souta… such a shame isn't it?" he said softly. Inuyasha blinked. He knew who they were? He actually knew?

"You know who we are?" Souta voiced out loud. Master Totosai's eyebrows raised a fraction.

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" he asked, truly perplexed. Souta looked was a loss for words and Inuyasha sighed. He stepped toward his instructor.

"Nevermind Totosai. What's going on here?" Inuyasha asked. He gestured toward the team of workers. Upon further analysis, he noticed a large hole in the floor, all boarded off with yellow tape. Men worked furiously around each other, sketching new plans and figuring their calculations.

"Well, last night, some martial arts boys came in to this room. The door was locked…I think…" he paused for a moment to consider his words. Inuyasha exchanged a glance with Souta. Three nights ago, Inuyasha had come in to this room around midnight to vent after that embarrassing situation with Souta. The door hadn't been locked, but Inuyasha chose not to interrupt.

"Anyway…they were young boys. Fooling around and trying to prove who was better between them. Somewhere in their tussle and fighting, they cracked the floor board. Instead of coming to me or the principal, those hooligans continued their brawl and blamed each other for the damage. The wood cracked even more under such pressure and when one of the boys fell, the floor boards completely caved in." Souta gasped.

Master Totosai smiled a small smile. "Don't worry. Neither of the boys was seriously injured. But they are being suspended for sometime for intruding on the property at an inappropriate time…" Souta and Inuyasha both gulped loudly. Master Totosai cocked an eyebrow at them, but just continued.

He cleared his throat. "Unfortunately, this construction will continue on throughout the day. So practices will be cancelled for today, but should resume tomorrow. I'm sure you boys will be thrilled…" Master Totosai muttered. At that moment, a school security guard signaled him over. Master Totosai nodded to the two boys, and then walked off toward the officer. There were two other young looking boys standing next to the officer, both were sporting large cuts and bruises.

Inuyasha growled. "Stupid boys… what the hell were they thinking…" Souta nodded. Instead of being thrilled with no practice, he too, like Inuyasha, was angered by their reduction of kendo time. The young boys stole a glance at the glaring teens and flinched fearfully at the anger in their eyes.

Souta smiled at the boys' reaction, but then turned to face Inuyasha. "Maybe we should've told Master Totosai about that floor board when we were in here a few nights ago…"

"Keh. And risk getting suspended for being in when we weren't supposed to? Don't be so stupid…" Inuyasha snapped. Souta's eyes widened.

"Oh right…"

"Just shut up and don't say anything…" Souta's eyes narrowed angrily.

"You don't need to get so angry!" he countered, now annoyed at Inuyasha's temper.

"Whatever…"

Souta sighed, obviously trying to calm down. "So now what?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we both don't have any Friday classes. I'd be surprised if anyone did… and plus we don't have any practices. Want to call up Bankotsu and Miroku and go out or something?" Souta offered.

Inuyasha shook his head. As close as he was to those two, for some reason he didn't feel like dealing with their perverted ideas and chick magnet brains. School was already stressing him out enough. Plus he had his mother's Geisha Ladies carnival to attend on Sunday. He should be studying, but for some reason, that idea just didn't appeal to him. He needed a way to vent, and he doubted that studying or yelling at his two other friends would really be sufficient. Kendo had always been his sort of "cure" for dealing with issues.

He bit his lip in thought.

With the dojo damaged, they couldn't practice even if they wanted to. It was blistering hot today, so there was no way they could practice outside. And any other gyms or places would be filled for the other sports.

"Let's go to my house." Inuyasha blurted suddenly.

"What?"

"Let's go to my house." Inuyasha repeated, this time more calmly.

"Alright…" Souta replied hesitantly.

"Look," Inuyasha began, "you know my family is owner and founder of the Kizu Law Firm. We've got a little more… than what most families have." At Souta's nod, he continued.

"I can drive us to my house. We have a small dojo there. We can practice there and hang out I guess…" Inuyasha finished, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. It had been a long time since he invited anyone to his house. Hell, it had been a long time since he had been back at the house. He wasn't too thrilled about going back, but he figured he owed it to his family to see them.

"Wait…so play kendo at…your house?" Souta repeated slowly, as if not believing that he had been somewhat invited.

"Yeah…" Inuyasha said, slightly aggravated. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. He crossed his arms.

"Keh. If you don't want to go, just say so." Souta's head snapped up at Inuyasha's tone and he shook his head rapidly.

"No! No, it's fine. I was just surprised you asked, is all." Souta said sheepishly.

"I'm a little surprised myself…" Inuyasha replied, but more to himself. His words trailed off ever so slightly and Souta had to lean forward to catch his words.

"What was that?"

"Nevermind…" Since when had he been so timid and afraid? He wanted to be a professional kendo player, and they were fearless. He couldn't let someone like his father, rule his life. He had to stop dwelling on his past and face the facts of the present and future. But still, why go back when you promised yourself you wouldn't have anything to do with him anymore? Besides…Souta was his friend; a very good friend despite only meeting him about two weeks ago. Hell, he might even trust him more than those other two perverts…

"Inuyasha?"

"Huh?" Inuyasha replied dumbly. Souta was waving a hand in his face, trying to bring him back to reality. Inuyasha shook his head clear of any more unwanted feelings or thoughts. He'd worry about that stuff when the time came.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine." He said gruffly. "So, you want to go or not?"

"Alright." Souta said, suddenly much happier than he had been about two minutes ago. _'Typical Souta…'_ Inuyasha thought.

"Let's grab some more breakfast and then we can leave…"

XxXxXx

By the time Inuyasha and Kagome had finished breakfast, it was nearing ten thirty. They had met up with Miroku and Bankotsu for breakfast, which took a lot longer than expected. The other kendo players, as expected, had been thrilled with the prospect of no practice. Miroku and Bankotsu had retreated to the room for video games and sleep after Inuyasha had informed them that they had stuff to do. They had looked a little surprised, but said nothing.

"I've got some extra kendo gear at my house, so you don't really need to bring anything." Inuyasha informed. Kagome nodded, grabbing just her (manly) wallet and phone as they walked out the door. They walked down to the student parking lot.

"So, how far is your house?" Kagome asked.

"It should take us about hour to get there with traffic." He answered. At first, going to Inuyasha's house had sounded weird. Hell, she had rarely gone to Kouga's house when they had been dating and here she was going to Inuyasha's when she had only known him for about two weeks.

'_It almost feels like a guy bringing his girlfriend to meet his parents for the first time…' _Kagome thought, and blushed. What was she thinking? True, she was a little excited at seeing the famous Takahashi house for the first time, but she still shouldn't be thinking things like this. She knew other people would be thrilled at such an opportunity as visiting the Takahashi house. Besides, her and Inuyasha were just friends.

'_But then again…' _she thought sadly, _'Last time Inuyasha had mentioned his family, he hadn't looked that happy about it. Maybe... maybe he had issues at home just like me…' _

Despite having such a famous family, the Takahashi's personal life had been kept on the down low. Nothing exciting had been publicized, just important court cases that Taisho Takahashi had succeeded in. Perhaps there were things going on that nobody knew about. Things that Inuyasha didn't want to remember.

"Souta?" Inuyasha called. Kagome looked up.

"Huh?"

"You still with me? You sure do zone out a lot…" he said.

Kagome laughed nervously. She scratched her head, her wig suddenly feeling very hot and itchy. She suspected that her face was probably all red by now. "Oh. Sorry about that…my bad."

"Its fine…" he replied, waving her apology off. Kagome breathed a sign of relief. She had to be careful. Who knows what could happen if she continued to zone off and forget what was going on?

They walked a bit further, down the dark and shady part of the parking complex. After going down a few more flights of stairs, Inuyasha turned a corner walking towards his vehicle.

Kagome gasped.

It wasn't a car.

It was a motorcycle.

Kagome walked toward it slowly, speechless. It was amazing and absolutely flawless. The red, black and silver coating shined despite the lack of light in the complex. It was brand new, no doubt the latest industry model with its silver rims, wheels and the powerful engine. For some reason, Kagome felt that this motorcycle suited Inuyasha perfectly.

"Wow." It was all Kagome could say as she walked toward it in awe. Inuyasha smirked.

"Is this really yours?" Kagome asked, gazing at his golden eyes. He nodded.

"Yeah…" he said softly. He grasped the handlebars between his fingers, admiring the grip. After a moment, he grabbed one of the helmets on the seat and threw it to Kagome.

"Here. Hurry and strap it on." He commanded. He gathered his long black hair in his hands and tied it back in a low ponytail. Carefully, he pulled his own helmet over his head and tucked all his hair inside. Kagome did the same, mindful of her wig. Looking through the black screen of her helmet, Kagome watched Inuyasha swing his leg over the seat of the motorcycle.

He flipped open the screen of his helmet to stare at her. "Get on." There was just enough space for her in the seat behind him. Just enough…although the proximity between them would be quite close…

"Y-You sure?" She couldn't help her voice from stuttering. Just… the thought of being so close... his back against her…

"Yeah…unless you have a car or know another way to get there?" She shook her head. Would she have said no even if she did have one?

"Well then this is the only way, so get on. You aren't scared, are you?" he asked jokingly. _'Of the bike? No…'_

"No…" she replied as confidently as she could and swung her leg over, trying to get comfortable on the leather seat. She felt his back press against her front and went rigid. He started the engine and it roared to life. The vibrating sound of the powerful engine echoed throughout the parking structure, jolting Kagome with the sound it emitted. Inuyasha twisted the handlebars, revving the engine even more.

"Ready?" Inuyasha asked loudly over the roar of the engine. Kagome barely heard him.

"I think so…" she shouted, the fear within her rising. She had never been on a motorcycle before. As Inuyasha steered toward the left and out the exit, Kagome could feel the speed slowly picking up as they made their way on to the highway. The land around them was fairly bare, only a few trees and flatness around them since Shikon State was separated from the busy city of Kyoto. Kyoto was only a few miles from the school. She felt the strong pull upon her body as Inuyasha sped up to the appropriate speed limit.

She nearly shrieked, feeling her body almost falling off. Without even thinking, she wrapped her arms around Inuyasha torso tightly as she hung on for dear life. A quiet whimper escaped her, unheard by the rumbling of the motorcycle. A thousand thoughts flew through her mind. Numerous motorcycle crashes and accidents she had heard on TV. People dying, or getting seriously injured. She didn't want to be one of those people. She felt terrified.

"Not so tight!" Inuyasha barked at her. She opened her eyes, Inuyasha's voice startling her awake to reality.

"I'm going to crash if you hold on like that!" he added. Kagome gasped.

"Crash!?" she nearly screamed in terror. She saw Inuyasha shake his head. She felt the bike slow down as they came to a stop light. He turned around to look at her.

"We should be fine unless you keep strangling me like that…" Even though she couldn't see his eyes, she knew they were looking right at her. "Don't worry so much…" he finished.

She nodded. Something in his words made her feel safe. Like everything was going to be okay… she didn't feel so afraid anymore. A smile formed on her face before she even realized it.

The light flashed green and Inuyasha was off. They sped past other cars as Inuyasha maneuvered between them, moving fast and quick. Kagome soon began to relax, enjoying the way Inuyasha zipped past the other cars carefully. Houses soon were becoming apparent around them as they neared the city. After a few minutes Inuyasha spoke.

"We're going to have to go through Kyoto to get to my house!" he shouted over the wind. Kagome nodded, glancing over his shoulder at the upcoming road. From where they were, she could easily make out the large buildings of Kyoto as they grew larger and larger as Inuyasha sped up. As they entered the city, Inuyasha slowed down considerably due to the many cars and pedestrians.

Despite the fact that Inuyasha was swerving between the cars on the street, Kagome knew it would take them a while to get through all of Kyoto. Kyoto was one of the busiest cities in Japan. Kagome sighed as they came to another stop light. At this rate, they'd never make it out.

"Where'd you say your house is?" Kagome asked.

"I live in Kyoto, but my house is on the other side of the city."

"Oh…" They continued to move as swiftly as possible through the lanes, but it was becoming clear to Kagome and Inuyasha that the heavy traffic would be quite a hindrance. After about twenty minutes of going though nothing but endless traffic, Kagome suddenly noticed a large building to her right.

"Hey, that's my school!" she shouted. Inuyasha looked to the right.

"That's Kyoto University." he said confused. Kagome gulped, realizing her mistake.

"My sister's school. I meant my sister goes there!" she replied. Hopefully, Inuyasha wouldn't get too suspicious. What was wrong with her?! At this rate, her whole cover would be blown! She couldn't get distracted…

"Oh yeah…the one who dated Kouga." He commented offhandedly.

"Right…" Kagome said through gritted teeth. The last thing she need was another Kouga flashback.

Inuyasha noticed her bitter tone of voice, but read it wrong. "Don't worry. We'll kick his ass in the tournament. I'm sure your sister will be happy…"

Kagome smiled at his cockiness, all bitter feelings leaving her. "Right!"

They continued cruising for a few more minutes before Inuyasha came to complete halt. Ahead of them, a huge group of construction team workers were fixing the road pavement. All the lanes had been blocked off except one, forcing cars to merge in to one lane. From Kagome's view, the traffic extended for about a few miles. She sighed tiredly.

"Dammit!" Inuyasha cried, unable to move his bike at all. Growling loudly, he looked around as if trying to find an alternate route. Unfortunately, this was the only main road that went through the city. What horrible luck. Kagome closed her eyes, mentally preparing herself for a long and slow ride.

"Hang on!" Inuyasha suddenly yelled. Swiftly, Inuyasha had turned his bike around, making a sharp left and off the road. Automatically, Kagome tightened her grip on Inuyasha, but not too much as to strangle him. She still didn't want to crash.

The road suddenly became rough and bumpy, and Kagome knew that they had gone off road. Looking up, she watched Inuyasha make another harsh turn, this time over the curb and in to a dense forest. They were suddenly surrounded by trees, the sun momentarily blocked thanks to the overhanging branches. The motorcycle ran even faster along the grass as Inuyasha rode on through the forest.

"Inuyasha, what's going on?!" Kagome cried.

"Keh. I wasn't about to wait in that traffic for another hour!"

"But…where are we?"

"In case you didn't know, Kyoto is home to dozens of shrines and spiritual places that are all connected by a small forest. The city specifically preserved this forest area to keep the spiritual essence of the shrines. I think we're in the Foorai Shrine right now. We'll take this forest path which leads all the way to the end of the city." He explained.

"Are you serious?!" Kagome called.

"Yep!"

"Is this even legal?!"

At that moment, an old man wearing priest robes emerged out from the trees. Inuyasha easily zoomed past him, but they managed to catch the last of his words.

"Hey you kids! This is a sacred place! You can't be here!" The old man probably said more, but his voice was droned out by the speed of Inuyasha's motorbike. Inuyasha laughed loudly.

"Probably not!" he said, answering her previous question. He pressed the bike pedal even harder and soon the trees around them became a blur. Kagome couldn't help the carefree laugh that escaped her as she felt the wind in her hair, and the absolute freedom she felt. They practically flew through the forest, past the trees and bushes, leaving the world behind them. It was like an escape…

They rode and rode on for a about fifteen minutes until Inuyasha made a sharp turn out of the forest and landed roughly on to the streets. Looking around, Kagome noticed the lack of buildings and traffic. They had entered a more quiet, and probably wealthy (judging by the houses) homestead part of the city. After a few more turns here and there, Inuyasha finally slowed down in front of enormous house at the end of the street, blocked off and overshadowing all the rest.

The house, or mansion, Kagome realized, was incredibly large. She guessed there must have been more than a dozen or so rooms judging by the multiple stories and windows. The mansion was barded off by a black iron gate, but Kagome could see through it. A lovely lush garden, with flowers and bushes grew abundantly. The entire house was a dark navy color radiating excellence and the finest quality. Kagome couldn't believe her eyes, and continued staring even after Inuyasha had stopped in the driveway.

The gate in to the driveway was shut, but there was a speaker on the side. Inuyasha pulled off his helmet and pressed the button.

"Hello? Anyone home?" he called though the speaker. A few seconds went by, before someone answered.

"_Welcome to the Takahashi Mansion. Please state your name, and business here." _A man's voice had spoken, and it sounded very professional. Kagome had a feeling this man had gone through a lot of training to get this job.

"Mushin is that you?" Inuyasha said, his face amused.

"…_yes I am Mushin. Sir I'm going to have to ask again: Please state your name and business here."_

"I live here you idiot!"

The man on the other end gave a startled cry. _"Master…Inuyasha?"_

"Yeah it's me. Let me in already!"

"_Right away sir…" _Mushin replied. The iron doors opened quickly and Inuyasha rode his bike inside. Just as they entered the gates, Kagome turned around to see a man with a camera standing there. He had dark sunglasses on, making it difficult to see who he was. The man suddenly raised his camera and a flash went off.

"Hey!" Kagome called, but the man was already running away.

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked. She looked at him, and then looked back on to the empty street. Quickly, she pulled her helmet off, her cheeks flushed from the heat.

"Didn't you see that guy? The one with the camera?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha eyes narrowed at the mention of a camera. "Stupid press… damn my dad's going to be pissed…" he growled, but dropped the subject. Kagome was silent.

Inuyasha pulled in to the garage and parked his bike. Kagome noticed multiple other cars around them, all shiny and expensive looking. The Takahashi's must have had at least ten cars. Kagome's family was lucky if they even had two. Just then, an old man began walking toward them. He was rather heavy, and was completely bald with a thick white mustache. When he reached them, he bowed deeply, most likely for Inuyasha.

"Master Inuyasha. It's a pleasure to see you again! You haven't been home in so long." he said.

"Hey Mushin. You actually sober?" Inuyasha teased. Kagome looked appalled.

Mushin chuckled. "Yes… those days are over for me now. How else could I get the top security guard of this place?" he laughed. Kagome could've sworn she heard Inuyasha mumble "yeah right...".

"Mushin, this is Souta. We play kendo together at the school." Inuyasha introduced. Mushin nodded in acknowledgement.

"Nice to meet you." Kagome said politely. Mushin smiled.

"Inuyasha…I would have expected you to bring a girl home by now. Not another one of your kendo friends." Mushin made a "tsking" noise and Inuyasha growled. Kagome flushed madly and tried to hide her face from the other men.

"Shut up! It's none of your business. Come on Souta." Inuyasha said. And without another word, he walked past the old man toward the door to the house. Kagome could only follow, and hope that the blush on her face would disappear. Inuyasha shut the door behind them, leaving a chuckling Mushin behind.

XxXxXx

Hey! I'm back! Sorry for taking so long!

Hope you enjoyed! Don't worry! Kagome will meet some of Inuyasha's family next chapter! Plus, a little look in to his past! gasp! I had planned for that to be in this chapter, but this one turned out to be WAY longer than I expected. Stupid Inuyasha for taking forever to get to his house!

I have limited knowledge and no true opinion of the kendo masters, Miyazaki Masahiro and Eiga Naoki. I wanted real kendo masters and they were the most popular names that came up when I search for some. I did not mean to offend anyone.

I hope you enjoyed the fluff and stuff!

Review!


	12. What's Past is Past

The interior of the Takahashi home left Kagome absolutely breath taken. The walls and floors shined with the finest marble and everything was completely cleaned and cared for. The living room itself was incredibly spacious with decorative wall hangings, leather sofas, and of course, a huge screen TV. A crystal chandelier was suspended above in the center of a spiraling staircase. Kagome suspected that the rest of the house was just as marvelous and she felt slightly undeserving to be in such atmosphere.

"This place hasn't changed one bit…" Inuyasha mumbled. He kicked off his shoes and walked on to the shiny floors. Kagome did so as well, for fear of disrespect. A maid suddenly appeared from around the corner, presumably from the kitchen.

"Master Inuyasha! It has been far too long! Such a pleasure it is! May I get anything for you?" the old woman was plump and short, but her head was full with long grey locks. She looked very strong, her shoulders broad from her many years of work.

"Nothing for me Shoga. You want anything, Souta?" Inuyasha turned toward her.

"I'm fine." Kagome replied politely. Old lady Shoga smiled sweetly, and bowed her head before leaving the room. As she walked away, she passed by a large portrait hanging on the wall. Kagome walked toward it, as if fixed in a trance, her eyes wide in amazement.

It was a family photo, most likely taken quite some time ago. There was a very tall, proud and powerful looking man, with long silver hair and piercing golden eyes. One of his arms was placed protectively on the shoulder of a much younger boy, most likely his son. This boy, with his short cropped silver hair was nearly the splitting image of his father. His eyes were hard and cold, much like his father, and it bothered Kagome immensely. Children of his age should not have such angry eyes.

Without even thinking, she reached out to run her fingers over the portrait. "Who is this?" she asked, her fingers circling the cold eyed boy.

"My half brother Sesshomaru…" Inuyasha said. There was no affection in his voice, nor was there any hatred. It was just simple acknowledgement. As if he and his brother were merely acquaintances. Kagome pondered this, but decided not to pry.

"So I guess it's safe to say this is your father?" Kagome inquired. She could not quite reach the father's face and settled for staring at him instead. This man, this powerful man, was the founder and owner of the Kizu Law Firm. He was also the source of Inuyasha's unhappiness.

"Yeah…" Inuyasha said softly. His tone confirmed Kagome's suspicions.

She nodded, and continued her examination of the photo. Aside from the two men, there was a young woman. Her face was absolutely stunning; her high cheekbones, pale, but glowing skin, and long black hair. Unlike the father, her eyes were soft and loving, a dark brown color above her delicate lips. She sat in an armchair, with a young black haired toddler sitting in her lap. He had golden eyes, but the same dark hair as the woman, and a pure child like innocence glowing in his eyes.

'_Inuyasha…'_ A smile graced her lips. She wanted to trace her fingers around his childlike face as well, but restrained herself. She could still feel said person's eyes boring in the back of her head; always impatient and pondering.

"Inuyasha… you're so cute!" she teased, playfulness laced with affection in her voice. She turned around just in time to see his scowling face.

"Keh. Shut up." He snapped. She laughed.

"Want to show me around?" she asked, redirecting the subject. He breathed loudly, glancing around the room.

"If you want, but that could take all day…" he said seriously.

"Then, how about just your room? After, you can show me that dojo of yours…"

"Alright…" Both walked up the spiraling staircase and down a long hallway. They passed by numerous doors, all closed and leading to who knows where. Inuyasha walked quickly to the end of the hall, and made a quick left before stopping at the first door. Reaching in to his pocket, Inuyasha pulled out a key and unlocked his door.

"You lock your door?" Kagome asked, as Inuyasha fiddled with the knob.

"Yeah… it's just become a habit of mine…" he answered, before swinging the door open.

Kagome had expected nothing less from his room, so she wasn't surprised at the sight that met her. It was a large, probably the size of her own living room, white walled room with a large bed, walk in closet, and a balcony. A few kendo posters hung around the room, but other than that, the room was clean, but fairly bare.

"Nice…" Kagome commented, whistling lowly. She walked in to the center of the room, surveying the spaciousness of it. Looking overhead, she saw a large glass dome where the sun streaked in beautifully. At night, he probably had a beautiful view of the stars. How lucky…

"Hey Inuyas-" she called, but then realized he was gone.

"Yeah?" A voice sounded from the large closet. Curiously, Kagome walked toward it and peeked inside. In the darkness, Inuyasha was digging through a large wooden chest, his hands bumping in to various objects as he searched for… something. He didn't seem to notice her entrance.

"What are you doing?" Immediately, Inuyasha shut the chest, letting out what sounded like a sigh of relief. He stood, dusted off his jeans, and walked out, shutting the door behind him.

"Nothing… just checking…" Inuyasha said mysteriously. Kagome cocked an eyebrow at him, but he ignored it, walking past her to sit on his bed. He sat there, not looking at her, but his eyes were clouded in thought. She bit her lip in nervousness. Why was he acting so weird? Maybe…she should leave him alone for a bit…

"Hey, where's the bathroom?" she asked suddenly. He looked surprised at her sudden need, but answered nonetheless.

"Back down the hall, third door on the left."

"Thanks." Opening the door, Kagome walked out. She looked over her shoulder to spare one last look at Inuyasha, but he was lying on his bed, looking at the glass dome ceiling. She shut the door.

Kagome found the bathroom easily. Once inside, she quickly pulled off her wig, shaking the sweat and heat out of her constricted hair. It had been ages since she had taken off the thing. Plus with the heat, it was crazy. Turning on the tap, she lightly doused herself with some water, rubbing some on to her eyes. She looked at herself in the mirror.

She actually looked like herself. For the first time in weeks, Kagome was staring at her true self; her true feminine self. Not that she acted completely different when she was Souta, but it was just strange to actually look at herself and not see a guy. Smiling softly and relishing this moment, Kagome quickly retied her hair and fixed her wig back on.

'_Now to get back to Inuyasha…' _she thought. Being back in his home should have been a wonderful feeling, but for him, he had looked so troubled. Kagome's eyes hardened as she promised herself that she would do everything she could to make him feel better, even if that meant beating it out of him. Which is of course what she planned to do… in kendo of course…

She opened the door…

And collided right in to a bare, very muscular body…

At the sudden feeling of déjà vu, Kagome held back the urge to say Inuyasha's name outright. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she looked up and locked eyes with her new acquaintance.

'_Cold eyes…' _was the first thing she thought. The owner's eyes were framed by long silver hair that was swaying due to some unseen wind. His face, like Inuyasha's, was handsomely flawless and perfectly chiseled. However, there was a much more distinctly feminine look to his face, completely opposite to Inuyasha. Oh, and he was glaring at her too, which was never a good sign. Kagome gulped.

"Dare I ask…" he spoke, his voice icy, "who you may be?"

Kagome flushed, in spite of herself. She felt so pathetic standing next to his dominating frame. "K-S-Souta! Souta Higurashi. I am a friend of Inuyasha."

His eyebrows rose at the mention of Inuyasha. "Hm… so after almost two years of not returning to his home, he returns… only to bring you…"

Kagome blinked, the insult bruising her ego slightly. His tone had been so degrading. But then another thought crossed her mind. _'Wait? Inuyasha hasn't been here for almost two years?'_

"What do you mean?" she asked, staring up to his stoic face. He ignored her question.

"Probably too ashamed to return…how typical of him." Sesshomaru muttered, as if Kagome wasn't there. He was starting to sound like Naraku… Kagome wondered just what they were talking about. But before she could ask again, his eyes suddenly narrowed toward her and he wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Your presence is absolutely appalling. Playing kendo with my brother I presume." Kagome frowned at his completely blunt and rude comment.

"Yes. We're on the kendo team at Shikon State University." She said, her face still hard.

"Shikon State?"

"Yes." Kagome replied confidently.

He paused, and looked away from her. "The school in which Sango Taijiya attends…"

Kagome blinked. _'He knows Sango?' _But before she could ask, he had brushed by her, in to the bathroom, practically pushing her out with the shutting door. Feeling a little insulted and confused, Kagome walked back to Inuyasha's room.

As she neared the door, she heard voices coming from inside. She froze, and pressed her ear against the oak door, listening.

"So dad's gone away for the weekend again?" She heard Inuyasha speak.

"Yes dear…although I'm sure he would have wanted to see you." A woman's voice spoke next, her tone coated with uncertainty.

"Keh. Yeah right…" Inuyasha said bitterly.

"Inuyasha…" the woman said softly.

"Stop it mom. Don't…don't try to sugar coat everything…he doesn't deserve it, and neither do I…"

"I know he doesn't…but Inuyasha…please, don't think like that about yourself. You deserve so much more than you think." She took a deep breath. "You left so suddenly. It was a while before we found out where you were! I was so worried…"

"I'm sorry…to have worried you."

Kagome eyes saddened at the sorrow in Inuyasha's voice. Just thinking about what his face must look like weakened her to the core. _'I shouldn't be listening to this…'_ she realized, sudden shame filling her. Taking a deep breath, and gathering what ever strength was left in her, she opened the door, taking in the sight of the same woman she had seen in the portrait before. Both occupants stared at her.

Kagome smiled, putting on her best surprised face. "Oh sorry…didn't mean to interrupt…"

"It's fine dear…" Mrs. Takahashi exclaimed. Her face was warm and genuine. It made Kagome feel at ease. "What is your name?"

"Souta Higurashi."

The woman's eyes widened. "Higurashi? Tell me… would your mother happen to be Keiko Higurashi?"

Kagome nodded and Mrs. Takahashi's face instantly brightened. "Oh how wonderful! Your mother is one of our best activists on the Geisha Ladies Organization!" The thought of her mother was momentarily forgotten as something in Kagome's mind clicked. How could she have forgotten? Takahashi…Inuyasha's mother was founder and president of the organization. The Takahashi's sure were founders of a lot of things…

"You have a twin sister named Kagome, correct?" Kagome nodded once again. If possible, Mrs. Takahashi's smiled grew. She turned toward her son.

"Why didn't you tell me you were bringing young Souta over? The house isn't even ready for guests!" she reprimanded Inuyasha, smacking him lightly on the arm. He winced, and cowered slightly under her firm gaze.

"It just…slipped my mind…" he answered pathetically. She huffed.

"Well, next time call when you are coming over. It has been a while after all…" She gasped. "Oh that reminds me! Inuyasha! You are coming to the Geisha Ladies Carnival right? It's this Sunday and it would be wonderful if you could help set up!" she added with a smile.

Inuyasha sighed and nodded weakly. She laughed triumphantly and made her way out of Inuyasha's room, but paused at the door. "It was nice meeting you Souta. You're staying for dinner right?"

"Uh…" Kagome turned confused eyes toward Inuyasha. He sighed and mouthed the words 'Just say yes'. Kagome quickly nodded her head toward his mother. She smiled and walked out and down the hall. Lots of energy that woman had… As soon as she was gone, Inuyasha sighed heavily and collapsed on the bed as if he as just run a mile. Kagome laughed.

"I like your mom."

"Wonderful…"

XxXxXx

The afternoon passed more quickly than Kagome even realized. After the meeting with Inuyasha's mother, the two of them had walked to the small dojo in the back of the house. It was small, but perfect for some practice. In the corner, was a supply closet. Inuyasha opened it, pulling out two kendo uniforms and some shinais.

"I met your brother…" Kagome remarked casually. Inuyasha paused halfway in pulling off his shirt and stared at her. Kagome blushed at his half exposed chest, but averted her eyes, focusing instead on her gloves.

"Sesshomaru?"

"Yeah…he was nice…" Kagome muttered out of politeness. Inuyasha chuckled.

"Keh. We are talking about my half brother right? Sesshomaru? He's never nice…and he hates me."

"Well maybe he's changed…" He snorted.

"Hardly. Have you seen him? The condescending looks he gives you and his icy demeanor. Or were you too busy checking him out? He does have quite a feminine look to him." Inuyasha said jokingly.

Kagome laughed. He was right on the nose. "I suppose your right…" she agreed, fumbling with her left handed glove. Another thought struck her.

"Did he go to Shikon State also?" she asked. Maybe that would explain how he knew Sango…

"No. He didn't go to college. Our family also owns part of the Sakura Fashion industry. Sesshomaru works there…"

"Works…there?"

"Yeah… he's actually uh… one of the top male models."

"What?!" Somehow the image of Sesshomaru being a model frightened her. Inuyasha chuckled lowly.

"I know… kinda creepy right? Well like I said, he's really feminine looking and has a unique thing about his face that the producers were looking for. So he was instantly selected. He's pretty good at it…" Inuyasha coughed. Kagome gagged. "Why do you ask?"

"Well…he knew Sango." Kagome said slowly, as if not to shock Inuyasha.

"What?" He was shocked. Oh well…

"He knew Sango Taijiya. He knew she went to our school…" Kagome said, pointedly. Inuyasha's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You sure?" Kagome nodded. "Wow…" was all he said.

The silence between them stretched on for a few more minutes. Nothing but the sound of shuffling clothing and clanking wood filled the small dojo. When both of them finally finished, they began their practice. About an hour went by with just nonstop sparring, until around one, Shoga brought out some sandwiches for lunch. They ate for about half an hour before starting right back up again. They continued for hours, only taking short breaks. It was like they were in another world. Soon it was five o clock and they were both exhausted.

Kagome glanced at the clock. "How about one more go?" She asked, her breathing coming out in long hard pants. She wiped the sweat off her brow. Inuyasha stood before her, his breathing coming out just as heavily as her.

He nodded. "Alright. But if I win, you have to come with me to that stupid festival on Sunday. There's no way I'm spending the entire day alone with some snobby ladies." He stated. Kagome smiled. She was already supposed to be going to that event anyway.

"Fine then. First one to three hits. Get ready to lose." Inuyasha smirked, pulling his mask back over his face.

As if an imaginary bell had rung, they were off.

As usual, Inuyasha made the first move. His attack straight and strong, aiming for her head. Kagome saw it coming easily, and dodged. His moves were becoming more familiar, but she knew she couldn't get too confident. Inuyasha was always a master at improvising. She readied her stance in front of him. After a split second, she attacked.

He dodged. Again, and he dodged once more. She growled in frustration.

This time he attacked, side stepping to right with his shinai extend out toward her. Setting her feet firmly, Kagome chose this time to bat his shinai out of the way. Seeing an opening, she brought her sword down, grazing his shoulder.

"That's one." She chimed.

"Fine." He said quickly, but suddenly came at her, his shinai hitting her square on the head.

"That's one for me." He repeated cockily. He cracked his knuckles. "Kendo rule number four: never let your guard down." He taunted. Kagome pouted before launching herself full on at him. She swing three times, but he dodged every one. She would never understand how he could be so fast.

He came at her a few more times, but she managed to dodge. Finally, they both came at one another, each of their shinais landing perfect blows on each other's shoulders. Both were breathing hard, completely worn out by the fight.

"Tied." Inuyasha said. Kagome nodded and they both leaped from one another, ready for the final face off.

Neither of them made a move right away. They both circled around one another, rotating ever so slowly around the dojo. Both eyes fixed on each other with uttermost determination. Kagome waited, her palms feeling sweaty from the nervousness. No doubt Inuyasha felt the same.

Taking the initiative, Kagome came at him quickly, with stealth. She must have caught Inuyasha off guard, for he hesitated before diving to the left. She usually never attacked first. Barely having a second to recuperate, he was at her, letting out a mighty cry with his sword coming straight down. Instinctively, she brought up her shinai to block…just as Inuyasha had taught her. She felt a surge of pride bubble within her for a moment.

Their swords remained touching, the wood cracking under the pressure of their strength. They both pushed harder. Too much would be off balanced, and too little would mean being overpowered. Neither one of them budged, pressing their swords against each other, their bodies now touching. He was looking down at her and she, up at him. Kagome's eyes narrowed. With a sudden renewal of strength, she pushed hard and fast, causing Inuyasha to stumble back, completely off balance. Without any hesitation, she let out a loud cry, her shinai coming in contact with his shoulder.

She froze.

'_I did it…' _she realized as she landed. They both stopped fighting and pulled off their masks at same time and stared at each other.

"I did it! I finally beat you! Woo hoo!" Kagome scream in delight. She pointed a finger at her roommate who stared at her with an incredulous look on his face, probably due to her behavior. Her face was beaming in happiness.

"Keh." He said simply. He would never admit defeat.

"Is that all you can say! Keh!" she mimicked, grinning from ear to ear. "I beat you Inuyasha!" her voice echoed throughout the dojo and probably through the house as well. She felt so happy, so amazingly accomplished and proud of herself. Sure he had beaten her hundreds of times before, but she could still relish in this one little victory. 

He rolled his eyes, but Kagome managed to catch a small smile on his face. "Not bad I guess… but I let you win."

She laughed. Typical Inuyasha…

They both cleaned up their kendo stuff, packing back in to the closet. Kagome's spirits felt as if they would never go down. Even while in the shower, she couldn't help whistling to herself constantly. She had come a long way for this moment. Once they had both finished their showers, they both walked to the kitchen to eat dinner. It was almost six.

"Never thought you would get so worked up over one win…" Inuyasha said lightly. She smiled.

"Well all my training with you had to go somewhere…" she replied enthusiastically. She felt grateful for all the teachings he had given her. She was stronger than ever before and it was largely thanks to Inuyasha. Her smile grew.

They turned another corner, the light from the kitchen glowing brightly. Instantly, they were greeted by the sight of Inuyasha's mother and Sesshomaru who were seated at the table, and Lady Shoga who was placing another steaming dish on the table. The table was long, dark wood in color, beautifully crafted and shined in the light from the chandelier. There were multiple fancy chairs including one that was at the head of the table, currently empty. _'Probably for Inuyasha's father…' _Kagome figured.

Mrs. Takahashi looked up. "Inuyasha! Souta! Please sit down and eat."

They did, taking the two seats across from her and Sesshomaru. The older brother paid them no mind, and continued eating his food. Dinner was, as expected, a marvelous spread and Kagome could barely finish her first serving. For the most part, the conversation was comfortable, with Mrs. Takahashi mainly talking about upcoming events and asking Inuyasha and Kagome about the school. The topic of kendo was somehow avoided the entire time…Dinner was finished around seven, with the sky outside already beginning to darken.

"We should get going Souta…" Inuyasha said. Kagome nodded, and stood up ready to leave. She thanked and said goodbye to everyone, but Mrs. Takahashi did not reply. Instead, she stood up to take a look outside the window. Her eyes were focused on the darkening sky.

"Oh my… it looks like it's going to rain…" she said worriedly. Inuyasha came to stand beside her, also looking out to the sky. It was fairly windy and chilly but there were hardly any clouds in the sky. What was Mrs. Takahashi talking about?

"Mom, what are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked. She sighed impatiently, and pointed to a tiny cloud in the sky, hardly formidable and noticeable. Inuyasha snorted.

"There's barely anything there…"

"It's right there! Can't you see! Oh that can't be good! Look how big it is!" she cried tensely. Inuyasha shot her a look. He looked back from the little cloud to her. It was still as small as ever.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"What?! Oh yes! Of course I'm fine…don't you see that huge cloud?" Now Inuyasha was starting to look a little worried. He leaned toward her, taking a deep sniff.

"Mom…have you been…do you see these 'clouds' on a daily basis?"

Mrs. Takahashi huffed angrily. "No dear. I'm perfectly fine. I haven't had a drink in ages. I'm just a little worried about my son and his friend is all…"

Inuyasha growled, all worried feelings gone, and instead was annoyed. "It looks fine mom…"

"No it doesn't…"

Inuyasha grabbed his motorcycle keys. "It's summer…"

"Well I still think it's better to be safe than sorry. What if it started raining while you were riding? You could get sick! Or your bike could slide on the road and crash! And you could die! Oh and I will have none of that! No… I think you both should stay…" she said, pushing Inuyasha back toward the table. He gave a low growl of protest.

"We have practice tomorrow!"

"In this weather? I certainly hope not!"

"It's indoors!" Inuyasha barked. Across the table, Sesshomaru paused mid way in his drinking to stare at the arguing pair. Lady Shoga stopped as well, staring at them. Mrs. Takahashi stood completely firm, and Inuyasha just looked like a little boy begging for candy.

"Well…I still don't think it's safe."

"Mom…"

"Don't you care about Souta?" she pressured. They both looked right at Kagome. Kagome shook her head frantically. _'Please don't bring me in to this!'_

"We'll be fine…" Inuyasha assured. Mrs. Takahashi sighed heavily.

"Just stay the night dear. Please… I'm sure it's better than those dorms of yours. And besides…" she said, her tone lowing slightly, "You haven't been home in ages…"

Well that was the final tip of the scale. Staring at his mom's pleading face, Inuyasha was at a loss for words. All Mrs. Takahashi wanted was her son to stay a bit longer. Even if it meant claiming that there were clouds there that weren't really there, she loved him and wanted him to stay. She had missed him dearly, and not even someone as stubborn as Inuyasha could deny her that.

They stayed.

Lucky for them, Master Totosai called, claiming there was no practice for the rest of the weekend being that one of the workers had been stupid and placed the wrong kind of wood in the floors.

"Not only is it not a safe surface, but it certainly doesn't match with the rest of the dojo!" Master Totosai had complained. Of course there was a bit more color to his language, but that was edited out. So, for part of the night, Kagome and Inuyasha merely chatted more with Mrs. Takahashi. Kagome realized she had never looked to happy to be with her son again. _'She must've really missed him…'_

Later, Kagome finally got the complete tour of the house, and she had to admit, she had never been so overwhelmed. She would probably get lost in a place like this. The other half of the night was spent talking, and watching a bit of TV. It was around midnight when Inuyasha and Kagome decided to go to sleep. They retired to Inuyasha's room; Kagome on the floor, Inuyasha on his bed. While Inuyasha went to the bathroom, Kagome received a phone call.

"Yuka I can't really talk right now…" Kagome whispered in to her cell phone. Yuka had called her in order to try and figure out just what she had been up to. "I'm kind of busy right now…"

"_Doing what?"_ Yuka replied, _"You're always so busy Kagome! And you never call us!"_

"I'm sorry…" Kagome said sincerely, "But you know all this kendo has me caught up. And of course, there's school. Plus I'm still trying to be one of the guys… do you have any idea how badly I've wanted to go shopping?!" Kagome cried.

On the other line, Yuka laughed. _"I bet Kagome. But being one of the guys can't be too hard by now…you've been there for what? Almost two weeks? I bet you're having so much fun with the boys all the time… being in the same room and all…"_ Yuka said teasingly. Kagome flushed red immediately. 

"N-No. I'm not doing anything like that with Inuyasha!" Kagome denied.

"_Who said anything about Inuyasha?"_ Kagome gulped. _"Aw, Kagome! Are you crushing on your roommate?" _

"No!" Kagome yelled. She couldn't…wasn't…never…right? Inuyasha was just a friend… right? Kagome buried her face in her hands.

"_Kagome! Oh I can just see your blushing face now!" _Yuka giggled.

"Yuka lis-" Kagome froze, hearing Inuyasha's footsteps coming down the hall. "I have to go Yuka! Inuyasha's coming back to his room."

"_Oh my God! You're in his room?!" _

"Bye Yuka!" Kagome nearly scream before flipping her phone shut, just as Inuyasha opened the door. She stared up at him as innocently as possible. It wasn't easy though. He wore his usual red flannel pants and was shirtless. Plus he was giving her a funny look. She gulped, hoping he hadn't heard anything. Unconsciously, she slipped her phone under the blankets.

He regarded her actions hesitantly. "Why do you always hang up right when I come back? Are talking shit about me or something?" he asked, clearly annoyed.

Kagome shook her head nervously. What he assumed, was far from the truth. "No! I just don't like talking when…other people are in the room…" she answered lamely.

"Okay…" He said slowly, as if half accepting her answer. He shrugged his shoulders before shutting off the lights and climbing in to bed. "Night…" he mumbled.

"Night…" Kagome replied, trying to lull herself to sleep. But she could feel that this night was going to be unlike her usual nights with Inuyasha. She had a feeling it all had to do with that stupid phone call. Now she couldn't stop getting such ideas out of her head. Her mind wandered back to the kiss…

'_No! Stop it Kagome!' _she scolded herself. She was here to do one thing: play kendo. That was it! Not start liking some guy she barely knew. Well, she did know Inuyasha more than just barely, but that was beside the point. She groaned lowly. Why did Yuka have to bring up such ideas? And with Inuyasha only a few feet away in an incredibly large bed, it was hard to think otherwise. She sighed, and looked up at the ceiling through the shimmering glass of the dome overhead. The moon was just starting to peak out from behind the clouds.

Her mind suddenly focused on the final spar today, and the request Inuyasha had made. "Hey Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?"

"I'll go to the carnival with you…"

"Seriously? I mean… you don't have to…" he said quietly.

"Yeah I'm sure… I was kind of supposed to go anyway… my mom and all…"

He didn't make a sound. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. "Do what you like…" he finally said uninterested, and turned over in his bed. He said no more.

Kagome smiled, and looked above. She continued watching the silver moon for the rest of the night.

XxXxXxXx

Ha! How's that for a quick update! And a nice long one at that! I better get some feedback on this one!

So now we have a deeper look in to Inuyasha's past! Plus a little denial from Kagome! Ohhh the suspense! Ohhh the drama! Hope you enjoyed!

Next chapter: It's carnival time! You know what that means for you "She's the Man" fans…


	13. Communication Is Key

I'm sorry! I lied! No carnival in this chapter just yet!

Enjoy!

XxXxXx

"Souta dear, how did you sleep last night?" Mrs. Takahashi asked politely. The fork leading in to Kagome's mouth froze. How did she sleep last night? Truthfully, it had felt awkward, especially after Yuka had called.

'_Oh it was fine Mrs. Takahashi. Other than the fact that your son was sleeping a mere three feet from me and that I couldn't stop thinking about him for a large portion of the night, I'd say that I had a pretty restful night…' _Kagome thought. She pondered actually saying this to Inuyasha's mother, just for kicks, but figured that might not go so well.

"It was fine…" Kagome replied simply. Mrs. Takahashi beamed brightly.

"I'm glad." She said honestly. Next to Kagome, Inuyasha sat at the breakfast table chewing on his slice of toast. He had yet to say a word the entire morning and instead looked lost in thought. _'I wonder what's on his mind…' _Kagome thought. She couldn't help but feel a little worried about his behavior. Was it something she had said?

Suddenly, Lady Shoga appeared from the kitchen holding a silver platter with a phone on it. Kagome stifled a giggle at the utter "Hollywood" portrayal of this. "A phone call for you, Lady Izayoi." Shoga spoke, nudging the platter toward Inuyasha's mother.

Lady Izayoi blinked in surprise. Gently, she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

A few seconds went by, as Lady Izayoi merely listened to the phone caller's angry rants. They were so loud that everyone at the table could clearly hear them, but were unable to decipher what the speaker was saying. She sighed. "I think you are mistaken sir. My son would never do such a thing."

Two sets of golden eyes snapped up, looking at the Lady of the house. Both were curious and confused. More angry rants continued to filter through the ear piece. Tiredly, Lady Izayoi rubbed her eyes. She spoke in a surprisingly calm voice.

"Sir, I know for a fact that my son did no such thing. However, considering your predicament, and on behalf of the Takahashi family, I would be willing to offer whatever payment needed to help you." The man on the other line paused, most likely surprised, before responding graciously to her offer. She smiled, before hanging up the phone.

The peaceful look in her eyes vanished as she stared at Inuyasha. He melted under such intensity.

"That was one of the old priests from the Foorai Shrine." She began. Kagome exchanged fearful looks with Inuyasha. Sesshomaru continued eating, now uninterested in the conversation.

"He claims that he saw you on your motorcycle riding recklessly through the sacred forests." She said sternly. She took a sip of tea, her eyes never leaving his. He looked away.

"I wouldn't call it recklessly…"

"Inuyasha!" Lady Izayoi reprimanded. Inuyasha shut his mouth. "The last thing we need is something like this making it on to the front page of the news! Our life is complicated enough without all that extra drama. So don't do anything like that again!"

Inuyasha sighed. "Fine…"

Lady Izayoi looked pleased. "Good. And that money is coming out of your own paycheck." Inuyasha cursed loudly.

"Speaking of front page news…" Sesshomaru interjected. All eyes turned toward him, curious to hear the usually quiet brother speak. From underneath the table, Sesshomaru revealed a copy of the daily newspaper from that day.

Inuyasha slammed his fist on the table. "Where did you get that?!"

Sesshomaru glared at him. "Under your bed as always. You really need a new hiding place…" he suggested venomously. Inuyasha growled. Slowly, almost teasingly, Sesshomaru opened the paper toward the other occupants at the table. Kagome gasped at the small article on the corner of the front page.

There, in the corner, was a picture of her and Inuyasha. The picture that one photographer had taken outside of the gates. In it, Kagome stared dumbly at the camera, on the back of Inuyasha's motorcycle, while Inuyasha pressed the button near the closed gates. Luckily, her helmet had been on, shielding her identity from view.

Above it, the title read: **A New Side of Inuyasha Takahashi?**

Flipping the page over toward him, Sesshomaru began reading the beginning of the article.

"_Approximately 11:30 yesterday morning, two individuals were seen entering the premise of the Takahashi home. Further investigation has confirmed one of the individuals to be Inuyasha Takahashi, the younger son of Taisho Takahashi. After a long period of absence, the younger son of the Takahashi family has finally returned home. Reasons for his long absence and for his sudden return are still uncertain. Some witnesses claim that his return might be due to young Takahashi's newest guest. Could this possibly be a new development in the love life of Inuyasha Takahashi? Well, let's not jump too far in to conclusions. Sources indicate that young Takahashi was indeed spotted entering his home with an unidentified person. However, upon further speculation, investigators have concluded that this new "companion" of young Takahashi is most likely male. Could this possibly be another side of Inuyasha that we viewers have yet to see?"_

Sesshomaru stopped, shooting Inuyasha a look. By now, Lady Izayoi mouth was wide open in shock, unable to speak. Inuyasha sat there, avoiding everyone's questioning looks. So this was the reason why he had hid the article… Kagome felt the color drain from her cheeks at hearing the story. Such gossip…such assumptions. Was this all part of the other life Inuyasha lived? The life he had wanted to leave behind?

Inuyasha cursed once again, standing up, and snatching the paper out of his brother's hands. "Damn press…Keh." He bit out angrily. Lady Izayoi groaned, rubbing her temples.

"It's alright dear…" Lady Izayoi said calmly, touching her son's shoulder to sit him down. "We'll get through this like we always do…"

She grabbed the newspaper and handed it to Lady Shoga. "Burn this for me will you, Shoga?" The old maid nodded understandingly, and walked off quickly back toward the kitchens. Heaving another sigh, Mrs. Takahashi immediately put on another cheerful smile. Her expression was somewhat contagious as Kagome felt herself relax and Inuyasha calmed down as well.

"So Souta? Why don't you tell me more about how you met Inuyasha?"

XxXxXx

Tiredly, Kagome flipped aimlessly though the pages of her textbook. Honestly, why did Souta have to take a course on Music Theory? Couldn't he have taken something easier like a cooking class? But then again, this was Souta she was thinking about. This course was probably a breeze walk for him. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, the only classes Souta and her had in common were the standard ones: English, Math, and Science. His other electives were completely new to Kagome, and it sucked.

"Damn it Souta!" Kagome whispered furiously to no one.

"Shhh!" The old librarian hushed. Kagome shut her mouth.

After that… interesting fiasco at the breakfast table, Inuyasha and Kagome had spent the other half of the morning practicing kendo. After eating lunch, they finally decided it was time to head back. After a tearful goodbye, Kagome and Inuyasha had left the mansion to return to school. With no practice that Saturday, they were free to do whatever. Miroku, Bankotsu and Inuyasha had settled in to some video games in the room while Kagome had stated that she had some studying to do. Naturally, it led her to the library where she could finally get some quiet time.

As expected, their arrival back at school had been an uncomfortable one. Surprisingly, more people than expected had read that embarrassing article, thus continuing to tease Inuyasha constantly. But he never faltered. They had received random call outs and insults from strangers and friends alike, but Inuyasha denied all their taunts and accusations with pride, never revealing that 'Souta' and he had gone to his house. He never spoke of the truth, and ignored all the whispers and lies. Kagome had already defended Inuyasha on many occasions, but even she knew there was no stopping them. They stuck through it all, strong and stubborn.

"Souta?" A soft voice called to her left. Kagome turned, eyes widening.

"Kikyou?"

She smiled sweetly, taking the seat next to her. "Hey. It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too." Kagome replied happily. Being with Kikyou had always made Kagome feel a little more at ease. Maybe it was because she knew Kikyou never judged her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. Kagome grinned. They were in a library for goodness sakes…

"I'm studying."

Kikyou blinked. Obviously small talk didn't work too well this time. "Oh…of course…" she blushed. Kagome had never seen such a color come to her face. It was odd.

Kagome laughed lightly. "You studying too?"

"Yes. I'm so far behind." Kagome nodded, not believing a word. As far as she could tell, Kikyou wasn't the type to slack off on her studies. She always seemed on top of it. She had it all. Looks, brains, personality… no wonder Inuyasha wanted her…

Kagome smiled sadly at her thoughts.

"Are you alright?" Kikyou asked worriedly. Shaking her head briefly, Kagome forced a smile.

"I'm fine." Kagome's attention was quickly redirected to the daily newspaper peaking out from Kikyou's stack of books. She touched the paper automatically, but before she could speak, a dark figure suddenly approached them from behind.

"Hello Kikyou." The figure said smoothly. Kagome watched a series of emotions play across Kikyou's face: surprise, annoyance, and an eerie calmness. She took a deep breath.

"Hello Onigumo." Kikyou replied politely, but with no light in her voice. She glanced over her shoulder briefly before looking back at the table. Onigumo smiled, his dark, almost reddish eyes gleaming. He placed a hand on Kikyou's shoulder, squeezing it possessively. He threw a warning glare at Kagome, but she looked away.

"Souta." Naraku began, "It's good to see you are well…"

Kagome merely fingered the corners of her textbook, not making eye contact. "I suppose…" She hadn't forgotten that spin the bottle crap he had pulled. His personality wasn't exactly the most friendly or likable. Plus, he and Inuyasha were not on the best of terms. The way he treated Inuyasha…it made Kagome dislike him all the more.

"Fancy running in to you here Kikyou." Naraku commented casually, completely ignoring Kagome.

"Yes. Although these coincidences seem to be very common lately…" she informed. She swiftly removed Naraku's hand from her shoulder. He scowled.

"Maybe the fates are trying to tell us something…" Naraku said mysteriously, leaning toward her. His mouth was inches from her neck. She moved away, not looking at him.

"Perhaps…" Kikyou replied, uninterested. With her words, Onigumo seemed to pause, slightly confused by her actions. His eyes bore down on Kagome, flickering between her and Kikyou. Kagome nearly laughed at such jealously in his eyes.

He cleared his throat. "Did you read the newspaper?"

"Yes. I read the one about Inuyasha. Quite surprising actually." Kikyou replied.

Naraku chuckled. "Surprising? I would expect nothing less degrading coming from him." He sneered. Anger flared within Kagome. How dare he say such things!

"What would you know Naraku?" Kagome snapped, standing out of her seat. He looked at her amusingly.

"Plenty more than you, I'm sure."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Hardly. You don't know anything. Not even the vaguest understanding of the few individuals around you." Kikyou's eyes flicked toward her.

"So I'm to presume that after being his roommate for only two weeks, you are suddenly an expert when it comes to Inuyasha Takahashi? You know more than me? One who has known Takahashi for his entire life?" Naraku said condescendingly. He pushed his long and greasy black hair back and out of his eyes.

Kagome growled. "The only thing you know is how to bullshit about others just to make yourself look good."

Naraku narrowed his eyes in uttermost anger. He was at a lost for words, his hands clenching and unclenching in frustration as he contemplated what to say. What could he possible say against to bitter truth? Kagome smirked.

"Bastard…" he mumbled, before turning toward Kikyou with a softer look in his eyes. "I'm afraid I must depart now. I'll be seeing you Kikyou." He said with a wave. He gave one final glare to Kagome before walking off briskly. Kikyou sighed.

"I apologize for that, Souta." She whispered, as if afraid that Onigumo would hear. Kagome brushed her words off.

"Don't apologize for him." Kikyou nodded, and watched Onigumo Naraku walk off. A slight glimmer of pity and relief shone in her eyes. Leave it to Onigumo to cause such tension in the room. But Kagome didn't regret anything she had said. She felt proud and accomplished for her words, and figured Inuyasha would be glad to hear about it.

Kagome gasped.

This was it, she realized. The perfect moment. The topic of Inuyasha was set. It was the perfect time for Kagome to match Kikyou with Inuyasha; to show how great of a guy he was so Kikyou would fall for him; another time like this wouldn't come often. So why was Kagome hesitating? She wanted to help Inuyasha right? She wanted him to be with Kikyou right? It was after all part of their deal.

For a split second, Kagome actually considered calling Inuyasha right then and there to call off the deal. She felt so uncomfortable and sick inside in trying to play matchmaker. She couldn't explain it, but she had never felt this way before. It was almost eating her inside with how…wrong this felt.

But then again… she knew she couldn't. She couldn't let Inuyasha down after everything he had done for her. The guilt would eat her alive. She swore she would do everything to help him, and she didn't dare break such a promise with such a close friend.

"I hope you didn't believe that article Kikyou…" Kagome stated seriously. Her words had the desired effect. Kikyou suddenly looked very nervous.

"Oh…well…no, of course not…"

Kagome smiled, leaning closer to Kikyou. "Can you keep a secret?" Kikyou's eyes widened, but she nodded slowly. Kagome trusted her.

"Well…" Kagome began, "The person Inuyasha was with was actually his cousin. You see… Inuyasha's cousin…uh….Banzo is really sick, so Inuyasha decided to take him out for the day." Kikyou gasped. "Yeah… Inuyasha didn't want to tell anyone because he feels like it makes him look weak, but he's really a nice guy, don't you think?"

Kikyou's eyes softened. "I had no idea. What a kind thing for him to do…"

Kagome nodded. "A lot of people don't realize how great of a guy he really is…" She paused. Was she still talking from Souta, or her point of view?

"He sounds very generous." Kikyou said sweetly.

"He is. In fact, I think you two would get along great." Kagome added slyly.

"Get…along?" Kikyou repeated, slightly confused.

"Yeah… I can totally see you two together." Kikyou still looked puzzled. "You know… like 'together'." Kagome said, putting emphasis on the last word. Kikyou's eyes widened.

"You mean… me and Inuyasha?"

"Of course. Haven't you ever thought about it?" Kagome asked, although her smile was a little more forced this time. Kikyou didn't respond. She sighed and avoided Kagome's gaze.

"You…don't agree?" Kagome pressed. Something inside her felt… relieved for Kikyou's reaction, but she quickly pushed the feeling aside. At hearing this, Kikyou's head suddenly snapped up hers. She shook her head frantically.

"Oh no! No Souta! Don't think that-" The old librarian hushed her and Kikyou blushed before lowering her voice. "Don't think that I don't respect your opinion because I do."

"I know…" Kagome replied, her tone wavering. Why did her voice have to quiver now? Kikyou shot her a sad look, interpreting her tone in the wrong way.

"Really Souta…" Kikyou insisted. She smiled. "You're actually one of the few people at this school who I feel I can really talk to. Someone I can really trust." Kagome gasped. Kikyou…trusted her…trusted Souta that much? Kagome felt shocked, and yet honored at the same time. She returned the smile.

"I feel the same way…" Kagome said honestly, and Kikyou brightened instantly.

"I'm glad." She sighed. "You see…I was only hesitant because…well…I've seen Inuyasha and his friends. And I'm just a little concerned that he's just another one of those guys who is only in it for my looks and-"

"And someone who just wants to show you off to all his friends to boost his ego…" Kagome said sadly, cutting off Kikyou and finishing her words. Her mind automatically drifted to Kouga. She remembered how he had used her. How he bragged about her to all his friends, totally disrespecting their privacy. She huffed angrily. Kikyou gasped at her words.

"Exactly…" she praised. Her smile grew. "This is what I mean Souta. You're the only guy I know who understands exactly how I feel."

Kagome grinned sheepishly. "Let's just say I've been there…" Kikyou nodded, her eyes shinning. But Kagome caught that look in her eyes. That happy and dreamy look Kikyou was giving her. It was a little too happy for friendship comfort. Kagome was slowly treading in to unwanted waters and she hadn't even realized it until now.

"I'm glad we're friends Kikyou." Kagome said in a rush. The overly happy look in Kikyou's eyes instantly dimmed.

"Yes… friends…" Kikyou agreed hesitantly. Kagome continued, taking her chance.

"You don't need to worry Kikyou. Inuyasha is definitely not like that." Kagome smiled encouragingly. "So take my advice. Give Inuyasha a chance."

Kikyou nodded slightly. "I'll consider it…"

XxXxXxXx

"Hey." Kagome called as she walked in to the dorm room. Her roommate sat in front of the computer, actually working on something productive. His pencil moved furiously on the paper, his brow concentrated in thought. He was the only one in the room, Miroku and Bankotsu having been long gone.

Kagome set her bag down. "I got you something from the cafeteria." Inuyasha spun around in his chair, and looked up just in time to see a brown paper bag flying toward him. He barely caught it and peered inside.

"Beef ramen?" Kagome nodded, sitting down on the bed facing him. She pulled out her own paper bag, revealing her cup of noodles. Unwrapping the plastic off it, she stared at it hungrily. She pulled a thermos out of her bag, and poured the hot water in to the cup. The delicious aroma wafted to her nose. Quickly digging in to it with her fork, she took a large bite.

"Yeah. Something wrong?" she asked with her mouth full. To hell with manners, her mother wasn't here…

He looked at the ramen. "I hate beef." He said simply.

Kagome paused in her chewing. "Well tough… I didn't know what kind you like. I love beef ramen." She took another big bite. He watched her disgustingly.

"Next time, get me chicken." He said, and spun back around in his chair to work. Kagome glared at his back.

"That's the thanks I get for being thoughtful?" she snapped.

"Keh." Kagome sighed tiredly. His cup of noodles remained untouched while Kagome greedily dug in to hers. Minutes pasted by with only the sound of Inuyasha's pencil and Kagome's slurping to occupy them. It was half past seven. The carnival began tomorrow at nine.

"Where were you the whole day?" Inuyasha asked without turning around.

"Studying in the library." Kagome replied. Wiping her mouth, she took a long sip of her juice.

"For four hours?" Inuyasha called surprisingly.

"Yeah. Music Theory isn't really my thing…" Kagome mumbled, trying to form an excuse.

"Then why did you sign up for it?" Kagome gulped. She had forgotten that little detail. Electives were chosen by the students for their own enjoyment. To not enjoy something she picked herself, well that was just a stupid waste of time. She bit her lip nervously.

"Uh…well…my mom made me?" Kagome stated, her tone slightly questioning herself. She just hoped Inuyasha didn't notice.

He nodded. "Yeah. My mom does the same thing…" Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. The silence stretched on yet again.

"I ran in to Onigumo Naraku today." She said proudly.

"Hmm?" he didn't turn around. In fact, it was as if he was trying to ignore her. Of course the subject with Naraku would be unwanted.

"Nothing really happened. I just told him off because he was annoying the hell out of me." She said amusingly. He glanced over his shoulder.

"Good to hear." He replied contently, before turning back to his work. Kagome sighed. _'Here we go…'_

"I talked to Kikyou today." Kagome informed. Inuyasha had a right to know. She was getting Kikyou for him and he should be aware of her… or in this case his progress. Her words certainly got his attention this time. Slowly, his head turned around to look at her. When he was sure she was not joking, he spun completely around.

"Really?" he said as if to completely confirm the truth. Kagome smiled for his sake.

"Yep." His face instantly brightened, a rare smiling appearing. It made Kagome melt inside.

"Where?"

"At the library."

"What did she say?" He asked, trying to keep the eagerness out of his voice. He had eyes for only Kagome. She just wished it was for a different reason.

"Well…" Kagome started, "She said that she thought you were different sort of person than you really are…"

Inuyasha's posture deflated. "She read that article, didn't she?"

Kagome bit her lip. "Well, yes. But don't worry!" she cried, seeing his somber face. "I managed to convince her otherwise."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "What did you say about me?"

"I said that… you were a great guy, not at all like the perverts your friends are." She snapped her fingers. "Oh right. And the reason behind that article was that you were taking your very sick cousin Banzo out for the day."

Inuyasha growled lightly. "What? I don't even have a cousin Banzo!"

Kagome put up her hands in defense. "I know that! But when I told her, she thought it was really kind hearted of you. She…appreciates stuff like that." Inuyasha paused, and relaxed at hearing this.

"After I told her that, she said she would reconsider going out with you. You're practically half way there!" Kagome said excitedly. Inuyasha smile grew. He wrung his hands, half excitedly, and half nervously.

"Alright then…" he said slowly, making sure to keep his calm. "What should I do now? Should I ask her out?"

Kagome groaned at his stupidity and boldness. "No!" she cried. "If you do that, you'll freak her out. Now that she trusts you somewhat you need to have a casual conversation with her to get to know you better. Then you can make your move" Part of her had felt something crumble within her at hearing those words. Another part, the greater part, just wanted to slap him for not thinking things through, like he usually did…

The eager look in Inuyasha's eyes fell at her suggestion. He sighed, completely exhausted, and spun away from her once more, fingering his pencil in his hand, lost in thought. Kagome took notice of the far away look in his eyes. He looked strained and as if he was struggling with himself.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" he muttered, but Kagome didn't believe a word of it.

"Yeah right. Come on. Seriously… what's wrong? You're not backing out now, are you?" Inuyasha shook his head immediately. He looked her straight in the eyes.

"It's just…" He growled in frustration, "You know I'm no good at this, not like you. I'm just not really good at talking to girls…"

Kagome blinked. Did Inuyasha really have that much trouble with girls? She knew he needed a little help, but it was unusual for him to actually admit it. It was still a surprisingly concept for her to consider as well. It was surprising to think that a guy like Inuyasha would have trouble with the opposite sex. He was Inuyasha Takahashia! He was part of such a famous family and the captain of the kendo team.

'_Plus, you're one of the cutest guys I've ever seen…' _Kagome thought to herself.

"What did you say?" Inuyasha asked, regarding her strangely. Kagome froze. She had accidentally said her thoughts out loud. And now Inuyasha was giving her one weirdest looks she had ever seen. Her face flushed boldly.

"I uh…" she struggled, wringing her hands. "…you're a very… appealing and… attractive guy… so I figured that getting girls wouldn't be so hard." She prayed her face would stop glowing and Inuyasha wasn't too freaked out. Luckily for her, he only shot her one last look before shrugging her comment off.

"I just… I always say the wrong things." He answered, closing his eyes. Kagome face softened. He looked so depressed right then and there. Her heart went out to him. She had to figure out a way to help him somehow…

Somehow…

Suddenly, she snapped her fingers, an idea coming to her. She stood up eagerly, with sudden newfound energy. Inuyasha stared at her.

"Okay. I've got an idea…we're going to try this okay?" She inquired. Inuyasha nodded slowly. "I'm going to act like a girl, and you're going to talk to me…"

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "What?!"

"You heard me." Kagome stated impatiently.

He looked at her, almost frightened. "Do I…I have to?"

"Yes…" she said. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him up and all but forced him to stand next to her. Surprisingly, he didn't fight back, but was a little reluctant to obey her. With another firm tug, he was standing in front of her, just staring at her. Kagome quickly shook her shoulders, getting in to the mood, and gave Inuyasha a brilliant Kagome smile.

"Hello. I'm Kagome. Nice to meet you Inuyasha!" she said cheerfully in her regular Kagome voice. She held out her hand to shake it with his. He didn't reach for it. Instead, he took a frightened step back, staring at her with large eyes.

"What the hell! You really just sounded like a girl just now!" he cried, completely bewildered.

"Well…I used to imitate my sister all the time. Got really good at it after a while. We are twins after all…" Kagome said as if his comment was ridiculous. Inuyasha's slightly confused gaze didn't falter. He still hadn't replied to her either.

"Inuyasha." Kagome called, in a sing song girly voice. Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow at her. Okay… maybe that was overdoing it a little.

"What am I supposed to say?" Inuyasha growled. Kagome smiled. So he was actually going to play along. '_This could be interesting…' _shethought.

"Just ask me some questions. Build up some chemistry. And then things will become easier and it will all start flowing." Kagome said encouragingly. Inuyasha scratched his head, thinking hard.

"Questions about what?" he asked. Kagome shrugged her shoulders.

"About anything. Ask me something like…" Her eyes quickly darted around the room for a topic of question. Her eyes locked on his untouched ramen. "…what is my favorite flavor of ramen?"

"Keh. That's stupid." He said defiantly.

"Just do it." Kagome said shortly. Inuyasha sighed.

"Fine…Kagome?"

"Yes Inuyasha!" she replied happily.

"What is…your favorite flavor for ramen?" he said quietly. She giggled, and stared at him.

"Oh well… I love chicken ramen!" she said enthusiastically. Inuyasha blinked in surprise. A few seconds ticked by, until Kagome gave Inuyasha a look, indicating it was his turn to talk. He cleared his throat.

"Uh…um…I like chicken ramen too?" he said questioningly. Kagome beamed.

"See Inuyasha! We're flowing so nicely now!"

Inuyasha scoffed. "We're talking about ramen! How is this flow?!"

"Flow is flow Inuyasha! Whether we talk about movies, kendo, or even world hunger, you are still bonding with the other person. You are sharing your opinions and thoughts with the other person, hopefully to make a connection with them. So you can be more than friends…maybe more…together…" Kagome trailed off. She broke her gaze with Inuyasha.

"Souta? Hey Souta? You okay?" Inuyasha said puzzled. Kagome gasped, her eyes refocusing. Immediately, her eyes locked with Inuyasha's, her voice suddenly caught in her throat. She felt frozen, unable to move, as if his gaze had a sudden hold on her body. They were closer to each other than she had even realized. His golden eyes looked in to hers, framed with the slightest concern. Concern and worry for her. He was…he was… she just couldn't describe him. She swallowed.

"I'm fine." She shook her head. "Anyway, once you get used to talking with Kikyou, or any girl for that matter, then things should work out fine from there."

He nodded, almost approvingly. "Alright…"

Walking back to his desk, he proceeded to finish his work. Kagome stared at him, even as she sat on her bed. After a while, she let out an exasperated sigh and lay back on to her bed, looking up at the ceiling.

"What time did your mom want us at the carnival tomorrow?"

"Around seven. We have to help set up."

"Great."

As the night rolled on, Kagome continued looking up at the ceiling in thought. Why had she been frozen in place before? Had it been something she said? Well, it didn't matter now. She had to stop worrying about him so much. Yes he was one of her closest friends right now, but she could go falling for him now…

Such an idea was ridiculous…

XxXxXx

Done!

So sorry this took so long to get out! I'm going to be graduating in a few weeks, so things have been really hectic. Lot's of senior activities and events coming up, but I think that I will have more time to bring in the chapters. I know that once college starts, I won't have nearly as much time. So I promise to finish this story over the summer. Don't worry! The guilt would eat me alive if I didn't!

I know I said that the carnival would be in this chapter. I'm not the most organized person. I had planned it, but then I realized that the scenes you just read were needed and I almost forgot them. Don't worry! The carnival is definitely next chapter!

Yes… poor little Kagome in denial.

You should totally go watch the actual conversation scene from the movie "She's the Man". Yes this story was based on a movie in case you didn't know. I recommend you watch this scene. It is HILARIOUS! I know my adaptation of it isn't perfect and is far from exact, but I'm always trying to keep everyone in character. Inuyasha is my main concern since he is so damn complex. I don't think that him jumping around, freaking out about a spider would really work for this story… just search for "She's the Man Funny" on youtube and it will be the first video that pops up.

Thanks for your patience! Please review! Reviews really encourage a writer! I know there are more than just 5 of you out there! Thank you so much!

Oh and yes, I did enjoy my prom very much! I want to go back! Thanks for asking!


	14. A Fortunate Forshadowing

"Inuyasha honey? Could you grab those other boxes over there for me?"

"Sure."

"Thank you dear. Oh Souta? Can you help set up the booth? Parts of it still need some hammering work done to it."

"Of course Mrs. Takahashi."

Inuyasha grunted heavily on the extreme weight of the box. He and Souta had both arrived at the carnival a quarter after seven in the morning, an accidental act of tardiness that they wouldn't soon forget. For that past hour, they had been under the eye of Inuyasha's mother; both of them working hard and steady. It was nearing nine and the carnival was due to open very soon. Shifting the heavy box in his hand, Inuyasha walked over to the table to set it down. He wiped the sweat off his brow.

'_At this rate, mom is going to kill us…' _he thought tiredly. As if hearing his thoughts, Lady Izayoi suddenly turned in his direction to give him another order.

"Inuyasha dear? Please help Souta out! He needs some more wood panels to finish the stand." Inuyasha merely nodded, walking over to the pile.

Coming to carnival had naturally been the last thing on Inuyasha's list for fun things to do, especially on a Sunday. He had never been a fan of etiquette, nor any of those formal ladies and their rules. What was the point of all this when the rest of the world didn't give a damn. Only on his mother's insistence, did he bear it. At least Souta was here, that made things run a little more smoothly. He would never admit it to anyone, but he had been…somewhat…relieved when Souta said he would come with him. Also, with Souta here, Inuyasha had a feeling that his mom wouldn't be too hard on him. Hopefully…

"How's it coming?" Inuyasha set the first wood panel down next to Souta who was on his knees in front of an "L" shaped wood piece. He was hammering a nail in to the thick wood, but with not much luck. From where Inuyasha was standing, the nails were bent numerously at odd angles. Plus, the wood had yet to be sanded. He sighed, leaning down next to his roommate.

"What the hell are you doing Souta?" Inuyasha asked annoyed. Souta growled in frustration, waving the hammer in his hand angrily.

"I'd like to see you try and do this." he huffed. Inuyasha shrugged, and grasped Souta's arm to steady his violent swings. He grabbed the hammer and began fixing Souta's bend nails with ease. He had always been pretty good with tools. His mother was also hammering away on a sign. Strange to consider, but he probably got his skills from his mother's side. She had to do something while dad was away. He pulled the nails out of the wood with the end of the hammer, and threw them to the side. Grabbing a new set of nails, he began pounding them hard in to the wood.

"Do I need to teach you everything?" Inuyasha said lightly. He steadied the nail until it was far enough in before hammering it completely in. He studied his handy work with a smile.

"Make sure you hold the nail until it's far enough so that it doesn't need to be supported anymore." Inuyasha explained. Souta grunted for a moment, before snatching the hammer out of his hand and setting to work. Inuyasha watched him for a few more minutes as he nailed the last board down to make a half of a square for the stand.

"That better?" Souta asked. Inuyasha nodded approvingly at the straighter nails.

"Yeah. Don't forget to sand down the edges." He reminded. They still needed a few more panels for the front of the stand. As Souta began his sanding, Inuyasha walked back over to the truck to pick up so more panels. The sun was now fully elevated in the sky, a large piece of the morning already done and gone. They were slightly behind, but at least the other booths were set up. Just as he was reaching for the third board on the pile, someone appeared next to him.

"Inuyasha? Is that you?" The most angelic voice had spoken. His head snapped up so fast that Kikyou back away slightly.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to say hi." She said, giving him another of her famous smiles. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from working out in the hot summer sun, her hair up in a messy bun. The boards nearly fell out of Inuyasha's hands as he stared at her. He was frozen. He didn't know what to say. This was a perfect moment to put Souta's advice to the test. Too bad he felt like a statue at that very moment.

"I guess I'll see you later." She said with a wave. She gave him another small smile, before walking off.

Inuyasha returned to Souta who was still finishing his sanding. He stood there, waiting for him to finish, before his eyes sought Kikyou. She was standing near one of the booths, talking to one of the geisha mothers. He watched her intently as she spoke to her, watching as her lips moved as she offered suggestions and compliments. Even when she was working, she was so beautiful. He just wanted to get to know her so bad. Why hadn't he said anything before? Why was it that always in front of her he felt so weak and pathetic?

Suddenly, her eyes locked with his once more.

He froze in fear, dropping the load he had been holding.

"Ow! Inuyasha!" Souta cried in pain. Inuyasha broke his gaze with Kikyou to see Souta clutching his left shoulder. Even from where he was standing, he could see the blood dripping from the wound. Apparently, the wood had scraped him hard on the shoulder as Inuyasha had dropped it. Souta was biting his lip from the pain.

"Shit!" Inuyasha yelled, Kikyou completely forgotten. He leaned down to survey the damage before calling over his shoulder. "Hey! Can we get some bandages over here?!"

His mother, with such keen ears, heard him immediately, and began hurrying over with a first aid kit. She pulled out some bandages and ointment. "What happened?" she asked sharply, and with a little panic in her voice.

"I…uh…." He couldn't seem to form the right words. How could he possibly explain to his mother that it was all because of a girl that he had been so careless? He had never had trouble before, so just telling his mom that he dropped it accidentally didn't sound very believable. The geisha ladies were already on high edge because of this carnival. This was the last thing they needed.

"Inuyasha!" Lady Izayoi called, demanding an answer. She carefully cleaned Souta's wound, ignoring his cries of protest. Inuyasha didn't speak and Lady Izayoi was starting to look frustrated.

"It's my fault."

"What?" Inuyasha said, staring at Souta dumbly. He ignored him, and just looked at his mother.

"I…was sanding the wood, and stood up quickly. My shoulder caught the edge of the board where I still hadn't sanded…" Souta explained in a rush. Lady Izayoi nodded, accepting his story. She finished bandaging his shoulder wound before sighing.

"Just be more careful." But this time she wasn't looking at Souta. She stared at Inuyasha with serious eyes. God, she could be so scary sometimes. _'Why is she looking at me?' _Inuyasha wondered fearfully. Maybe mothers really do know everything…Once she had walked out of hearing distance (or so Inuyasha had hoped), Souta finally spoke.

"Did you say anything to her?" he asked. Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow.

"My mom? No…" Inuyasha replied slowly, utterly confused.

Souta shook his head, rubbing his shoulder. "Not her. I'm talking about Kikyou. I saw you with her next to the truck. Did you say anything to her?" Inuyasha stared at Souta with wide eyes.

"You just got injured and you're asking me if I'm okay?" Inuyasha couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice. He had just gotten hurt! And it had been his fault! So now, the first thing he asked him was about Kikyou? Wasn't he mad at him? Did he even care? Souta merely shrugged.

"I was just wondering." He replied quietly.

"It was my fault you got hurt. Don't you even care?" Inuyasha cried. He was starting to get frustrated at his selflessness. He had never met anyone like that, and it confused him.

"Of course I care…that's just not the issue right now. Now answer me, did you say anything to her?" Souta repeated. Inuyasha breathed sadly and shook his head.

"I…I didn't know what to say to her…"

"Inuyasha! What did we practice just last night?" Souta asked, sounding a little annoyed. Inuyasha crossed his arms, looking away.

"Last night was stupid…" Inuyasha said harshly, trying to form some kind of an excuse for his weakness. This issue with Kikyou was just so complicated. He didn't need to be reminded of his weakness when it came to girls. Souta's eyes widened.

"Stupid? You're the one who asked me for my advice, so it's not my fault if you don't have the courage to use it." Souta said coolly. Inuyasha growled, his temper rising dangerously. He knew Souta was just trying to help him, but these past few weeks, stressing over Kikyou, school, his family, and now this carnival. It was enough to set any one on edge. He just felt tired. Why can't things be easier?

"Life's never easy Inuyasha…" Souta answered tensely. Inuyasha realized that he must've said that last bit out loud.

"I just lost my focus. I just need some time..." Inuyasha said gruffly. He needed to get it together if anything was going to happen with Kikyou. He couldn't let all of Souta's help go to waste. The last thing he needed was Souta leaving him. Whether he believed it or not, they needed each other…in a weird sort of way. Well, maybe he needed Souta more than he needed him.

"Alright then…" He resumed his sanding, but this time a little slower. "Just try not to think so much. Relax a little more. If you worry too much and try to make everything perfect, then you're not really being yourself." Souta paused in his work and looked up at him with soft eyes. "And who wants to be with someone like that?"

Inuyasha didn't answer, even as Souta continued sanding. Perhaps he was right…perhaps the best thing to do was be yourself. Being with someone who was fake…that meant that neither you, nor the other person would ever be satisfied. He smiled at his thoughts and bent down to help Souta with his sanding.

XxXxXxXx

After another hour of preparing and working, the carnival was finally underway, and looking much more crowded. Booths of all kinds and from different family's were scattered everywhere. Aromas of food and snacks filled the air, and screams and laughter could be heard from the young children as they rode the rides. Once everything had gone underway, the stress level from the Geisha Ladies had quickly escalated. However, Lady Izayoi still remained as cheery as ever as she sought to make this day run as smoothly as possible. Everything had to be perfect, so much so that Kagome barely caught a glimpse of her once the carnival had begun.

"Quite a turn out this year, huh?" Kagome remarked, leaning back against the fence. She and Inuyasha were finally allowed for a break.

"Yeah." Kagome closed her eyes, glad to have a chance to breathe.

Or so she thought.

She suddenly gasped.

"Oh my God! Inuyasha what time is it?" she said frantically. Inuyasha quickly flipped open his cell phone.

"Almost ten." Kagome froze. She had promised her mother last night that she would be at their Higurashi booth at nine thirty to help! How could she be so careless? Her mom was probably furious by now, and might even disown her. Kagome gulped.

"Something wrong?" Inuyasha asked, a hint of concern in his eyes at Kagome's sudden catatonic state. Kagome nodded glumly.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha. I have to go." He looked as if he was going to protest, but she cut him off. "My mom." She finished simply. He shut his mouth in understanding and nodded. She grabbed her backpack.

"When are you going to be done?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

"Tell you what." Kagome began, "I'll meet you by the game booths around eleven thirty." He grudgingly agreed, and Kagome was off.

'_First things first. I need to change.' _Kagome thought. She turned a corner, out of Inuyasha's sight, and was all out running for the bathrooms. Luckily, the bathrooms in the carnival were all portable, leaving for no question or segregation. She quickly jumped in to the nearest one to her (ignoring the complaining old lady) and changed faster than she had ever changed in her life, ripping her wig and fake body hair off. All her boy clothes were stuffed in to her bag, as she pulled out her "Kagome" outfit. Instead of the usual boy attire of dark blue jeans and a green shirt, she donned a simple red and white summer dress with floral print.

Taking just minutes to change, Kagome was out of the bathroom and running toward her booth. She had grabbed a carnival map while entering with Inuyasha, so she had a vague idea where the Higurashi booths were. She didn't slow down in her running, having eyes only for the paper map in her hands. She didn't even see as she collided in to someone.

"Oof!" She didn't fall down that time, but was momentarily stopped. Looking up from her map, she saw a pair of bright green eyes. They were full of warmth for her, but Kagome felt herself freeze up, her eyes darkening.

"Kagome baby!" Kouga cheered happily, trying to bring her in to a hug. She backed away. He didn't seem to notice her cold behavior and continued.

"Where have you been? I've been calling you all week." Kagome snorted. Hell yes he had been calling. About five times a day. "I miss you Kagome. We need to talk." His voice never lost its light.

Kagome growled in frustration. She couldn't, didn't want to handle this right now. She was over Kouga, plain and simple. She had long since realized how he had used her. And now he was here trying to crawl back in to her life? She would never allow it. She had other people who cared much more for her than Kouga ever did. And she cared for them as well…

"There's nothing to talk about. I told you Kouga, its over." She said sternly. For the first time since their meeting, he actually looked surprised. She tried to walk past him, but he stopped her.

"Over? Come on Kagome baby. No one breaks up over one little fight. I still love you and I'm willing to forgive you." Kagome bristled with anger. Her hands were clenched so tight, that they were white. How dare he? Willing to forgive her? He reached for her arm, but she pulled away.

"Me? Apologize to you? You just don't get it Kouga! And you never will!" she cried to his face. His eyes hardened a fraction.

"Why don't you explain it to me then? We can talk about it over some ice cream." He offered innocently, but Kagome could still catch the look in his eyes. He wasn't about to truly listen to her, let alone apologize. He and his ego would never admit that they were wrong. And Kagome was through with giving him chances and feeling any sort of pity or guilt for him.

"There's no point in that Kouga. I've said it before, and I'll say it once more. It's over." She finished strongly. She tried to walk away once again, but not before a hard grasp on her arm stopped her. She spun around to meet angry green eyes. _'So…he's finally dropping the act, is he?'_

"Don't you walk away from me Kagome Higurashi. We aren't done yet, and no one walks away from Kouga Ookami." He barked. Kagome didn't even flinch.

"I just did Kouga. Now let go of me." She said coldly. She attempted to pull away, but the steel grip on her arm held her fast. He wasn't about to let her go. So she did the first and only thing that came to her mind.

She slapped him.

Hard.

It wasn't enough to physically hurt him, but it would definitely leave a mark. The fingers grasping her arm loosened, most likely due to his shock over her actions. She had never been so bold. He stared, completely motionless, with just a hand pressed to the offended cheek. Giving him one more, and hopefully the last, look, she hurried away, leaving him stunned.

She walked a bit faster than intended, most likely to cool herself from such an encounter. She had to appear polished and perfect in front of her mother. Kagome glanced over her shoulder. Good, he wasn't following her. She made another right, and stumbled upon three booths, all with the Higurashi name. There was a food booth, arts and craft booth, and a small game booth. Kagome moved in to the arts and crafts tent, past all the other Geisha Ladies, mumbling quick hellos to all her mother's friends and family, before finding her mother. Surprisingly, her face was still bright and happy, not at all angry by Kagome's tardiness. Kagome had a feeling it was because of their company.

"Kagome dear! You're here!"

"Hi mom!" Kagome said, in the sweetest voice she could muster. She gave her mom a quick hug. Mrs. Higurashi checked her watch.

"Kagome dear. It's a little after ten. You said you would be here by nine thirty." Kagome nearly shuddered at the forced cheerfulness in her mother's voice. The smile still adorned her face, but her voice held a tinge of anger and annoyance. Kagome's smile brightened, hoping to discourage a few eyes that were on them. She didn't want attention right now.

"I'm so sorry mom. I just lost track of time…again." She laughed nervously.

Her mother sighed. "Very well dear. Just come and help me with these banners." Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be off the hook for now.

Kagome found herself working for another hour or so. She had already been tired from working at the Takahashi booth, and being at her family's booth was certainly less than exciting. She was forced to decorate and put up numerous signs and displays. Her mother even had her waving and dancing with a sign outside of the tent, to draw in more people. It was fairly successful, much to Kagome's chagrin. The early afternoon rolled around faster than expected and Kagome was just dying to leave. Not only was it getting hotter by the second, but Kagome was starving. She was just a little hesitant to ask her mother if she could leave. At least her mother was still in high spirits, possibly rivaling that of Mrs. Takahashi.

Kagome never really hated her mother. She was just…annoyed about how her mother was trying to make her something she wasn't. Trying to make her in to someone who was perfect. Kagome wasn't like that. Kagome knew she never would be perfect. It just wasn't her. She just wanted to be herself. Her thoughts drifted to Inuyasha.

'_Oh my God! Inuyasha! What time is it?'_ Kagome glanced frantically at the clock, horrified to see it was five minutes after eleven thirty. She rushed inside the tent to find her mother.

XxXxXx

"Would you like another go sir?" The man behind the booth asked.

Inuyasha shrugged, pulling out another dollar. "Sure…why not."

The man smiled, tucking the dollar in to the cash box, and handed Inuyasha a football. Grasping the leather skin of the ball, Inuyasha wound back his arm and chucked it as hard as he could. The ball went sailing through the air, and bounced off the edge of the wooden hole. He growled.

"Oh! Good try!" The man said sympathetically. "Want to try again?"

But this time, Inuyasha waved him off, and walked away from the booth. He checked his cell phone once again. It was a few minutes till noon. He sighed tiredly. _'Late again…'_ he thought. This certainly wasn't the first time Souta had been late on him. Probably wasn't going to be the last either. Leaning against a pole, he waited. Thankfully, he didn't wait too much longer.

"Hey Inuyasha!" He turned around, to see Souta jogging toward him. He looked completely beat and tired, sweat pouring down his face. Hell, his hair looked more disarrayed than usual.

"Hey. Where were you? You kept me waiting for almost half an hour." Inuyasha pointed out gruffly. Souta was still panting hard as he reached him. He took a deep breath, his body slightly hunched as he heaved in and out.

"Sorry. My mom made me. It took a while for me to get away."

"How did you convince her?"

"I didn't… I snuck away." He said sheepishly. "But she saw me run off… and demanded that I be back around one thirty. She told me before that they were going to set up one of their main mystery tents around that time. So I probably should come back or else she will really kill me…"

Inuyasha laughed. "You're mom almost sounds as scary as mine."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Souta replied with a laugh. He stood up straight, wiping his face. "So…can we get something to eat? I'm starving." Inuyasha nodded. They both walked off toward the centralized food area. Once they had paid for their meals, they found a small table and ate.

"Did you talk to Master Totosai?" Souta asked.

"Yeah. He said the floors are all fixed and we should expect to continue practice tomorrow."

"Good to hear…" Inuyasha was also glad to finally get back in to kendo. With the Osaki Tournament only two weeks away, they couldn't afford not to have practice. The team still needed work, and with the time remaining, that might not be enough to win. Just as he was taking another bite in to his sandwich, Souta suddenly cried out.

"Oh my God! Is that a fortune teller booth!?" Souta called, pointing his finger somewhere behind him. Inuyasha spun around, spying a small booth covered with many draping of dark colors, mainly purple and gold. It was too dark to see inside, but Inuyasha could definitely tell that it was one of those typical fortune telling booths.

"Yeah, why?" Souta gazed at him excitedly. He quickly gathered up his trash and food and dumped them in to the bin.

"Let's check it out! I've always wanted to." Souta practically pleaded. Inuyasha sighed. He was practically a kid in a candy store acting like this. Inuyasha had seen this typical booth before. They tell you something general and false, just to get your money. He was itching to say no, but with the look on Souta's face, he finally agreed. Souta shouted triumphantly and lead the way in to the booth.

"Who knows Inuyasha. This might be able to help you with your love problem." Souta pointed out. Inuyasha grunted. He was right…somewhat. But why would he want to know the future? He controlled his own destiny.

Inside the booth, it was pitch black, except for the glowing stars that were seemingly suspended around them. The air was filled with thick incense that made even Inuyasha's nose feel stuffed and uncomfortable. In the center of the room was a table with a crystal ball on it. _'How cliché…' _Inuyasha thought dryly.

"Welcome children. Please come in and sit down." An old woman's voice spoke, causing Inuyasha and Souta to nearly jump. She emerged from the shadows beyond the table and sat down. She was a rather large woman, with big eyes, and long grey hair. Her chin was pointed dramatically and she was missing a few teeth. Her heavy navy coat was draped over her shoulders, hiding her lower body from view. Inuyasha shivered, but Souta's eyes remained amazed. Both boys sat down in the soft cushions on the floor.

"This is stupid." Inuyasha whispered, but Souta hushed him and threw him a glare. The old crone didn't seem to notice. Her long hooked fingers curled around the crystal ball.

"Welcome to my domain young ones. My name is Urasue Kijo. It is a pleasure to meet you both. Please tell me your names so I can better connect with your spirits." Inuyasha snorted. Souta shoved him.

"My name is Souta Higurashi." Something in the old crone's eyes twinkled as she carefully stroked her orb.

"Are you certain of that, young one?" Inuyasha groaned. Was this old lady for real? She was probably going to try and confuse him with her voodoo and talk about reincarnations or something like that. This was already starting to feel boring.

"Y-Yes…" Souta muttered, his voice cracking from fear. Inuyasha's gaze snapped to him. His eyes were wide and his face had gone slightly pale. Was Souta actually afraid of this witch? Why was he suddenly so fearful? He knew it was all a gimmick, right?

The witch nodded. "If you say so." She turned her eyes toward him. "How about you young man?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Keh. I'm not playing this stupid game."

"Inuyasha!" Souta cried hoarsely. But the old lady shushed him with a wave of her hand.

"It is alright Souta. We just have a young non believer in our midst."

"I just don't believe in bullshit." Inuyasha retorted, but the Urasue still remained impassive. If anything, her lips curved upward in a smile.

"Very well then…Inuyasha…I understand you still have some issues at home to settle, but let's not allow such negative energy taint the spirits shall we?"

Inuyasha paused. _'Wait, what? How the hell did this crone know that I've got issues at home? Keh. She probably just figured it out because of my name. Inuyasha isn't too common and everyone knows I'm a Takahashi. We've always got a mess of problems.'_

"Let's continue. Souta please come forward and place your hands on the orb." Souta scooted in and obeyed. "Now close your eyes." He did so. A few seconds went by before Urasue commanded him to release his hands. When he did so, the orb was glowing, with a light blue mist swirling inside. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Oh. Very interesting." Urasue droned as she leaned closer. "You will soon be in an environment of protection and safety, more likely from those around you. All your hard work will soon fall in to place perfectly and you will be at peace."

'_How original.' _Inuyasha thought. However, Souta wasn't looking at him. He only had eyes for the old woman. A great sense of gratitude and relief filled his eyes. He looked extremely pleased. After a moment, the orb pulsed and slowly turned from a light blue, to a brilliant green color.

"Now this is interesting. While on your short journey, you will encounter many obstacles that will challenge you in unexpected ways. Physically, as expected, but also…" she peered closer. "…emotional challenges. You must be cautious of this. I also detect jealously and envy in your future that you must overcome."

Souta sighed tiredly. Not the best news about your future… The orb's light slowly faded back to its white purity. The old woman smiled. "Don't worry. All will be well."

"Thank you." Souta said kindly. He got up, and seated himself next to Inuyasha. The old woman's eyes were soon on him.

"You're next." She inquired.

"No thanks." Inuyasha bit out. Souta breathed loudly in frustration.

"Come on Inuyasha! Maybe she can help you out with Kikyou!" Souta exclaimed. Urasue's eyes widened and Inuyasha cursed loudly.

"Kikyou? A woman?" She chuckled lowly. With a long and boney finger, she beckoned him forward. "Ah yes. Love predictions are so…complicated."

Inuyasha glared at Souta. "Thanks a lot." He muttered. Seeing as there was no clean way to leave the tent, Inuyasha reluctantly took his seat in front of the woman. She grinned happily.

"Please…place your hands-"

"I'll keep my hands here." He interrupted, folding his arms. She nodded slowly.

"Very well then. I shall do my best, given your…preferences." Her eyes suddenly glazed over and she ran her fingers over the orb in a rhythmic way. The orb pulsed once again before turning a deep red. The woman's face darkened.

"Oh. This does not bode well. I see struggle and misfortune in your current love life. Should you continue in the path you have chosen, it will not end well. I suggest you change your path of desire, before things get too out of hand." She said seriously.

"Keh." Inuyasha replied. Of course he had heard her, but that didn't mean he had to believe her. This old woman was just talking bullshit, like all the other fortune tellers. Souta, on the other hand, looked incredibly intrigued. Why the sudden interest in these fortune tales? The orb changed once more, to a lighter mix of black and light pink. Urasue gasped.

"What an odd combination. This I have never seen before. Such opposite colors intertwined!" she cried out, throwing her hands in the air. Both boys back away slightly. She continued.

"The bright pink indicates a hope for love in the future. It will be filled with much happiness and acceptance. But this black color…" She shook her head in confusion. "Perhaps your love search…is shrouded in confusion and remains unreachable because you are looking in all the wrong places. Perhaps…your love is closer than you think."

Inuyasha blinked. He could've sworn he saw the old woman's eyes look toward Souta for a split second, but then again, her eyes were always shifting around. Stupid old woman… Behind him, Souta gasped.

"What is it?" Inuyasha asked. But Souta shook his head.

"Nothing." Was he blushing, or was it just his imagination? He decided to accept his roommate's answer for now. Right now, they needed to go. He was tired of being in this stuffy room with a creepy old woman. Plus, Souta wasn't looking too good either. Pulling out a twenty, he slammed it on Urasue's table before grabbing Souta by the collar, and walking out.

"Thanks…" he muttered over his shoulder.

"Remember what I said…" was the last Inuyasha heard, and he had never been so glad.

XxXxXx 

Done! Sorry! This carnival sequence is going to be a double whammy! Hope you enjoyed! Oh and I meant no offense to those spiritual individuals out there. This is merely Inuyasha's stubborn opinion.

I hope I do not confuse anyone with these "point of view changes". Also, some people have been asking me when Inuyasha finds out Souta is Kagome. Well…you're going to have to hold tight.

OMG! Inuyasha manga series has ended! I read the last chapter! So sad to see it finished. I wish there was more. I won't reveal anything, but if you want, you can go to to read the last chapter!

Next chapter will have some pure Inu/Kag fluff. That is…if you review… :)

I graduate tomorrow…so exciting!


	15. The Real Me

"_I see struggle and misfortune in your current love life. Should you continue in the path you have chosen, it will not end well. I suggest you change your path of desire, before things get too out of hand."_

Urasue's words echoed within her head. _'Could what she said be true? Could it be that Kikyou really isn't the right path for Inuyasha?' _

"_Perhaps your love search…is shrouded in confusion and remains unreachable because you are looking in all the wrong places. Perhaps…your love is closer than you think."_

'_When she said that, she looked right at me…why?' _Kagome wondered fearfully. She had never been to a fortune teller before (which had prompted her to want to go so badly in the first place), but after this experience, she felt almost terrified. The way the old woman had looked so lost and away; the way she had spoken; the way she had looked directly at her as if she was trying to tell her something. Whatever it was, it now had Kagome spooked out of her wits.

Inuyasha appeared next to her. "Stupid old witch." He mumbled. Just a few seconds ago he had pulled her out of the fortune teller's tent. He had been none too happy with hearing his fortune, and Kagome could not help but feel guilty for making him go.

"Souta? Hey are you okay? You look like shit." Inuyasha called. Kagome looked up in to his golden orbs. She gulped. _"Perhaps…your love is closer than you think."_

Kagome immediately shook her head, trying to get such thoughts out. She couldn't possibly go on and think such things between her and Inuyasha. It was utterly ridiculous! Impossible! She would…could never…

Could she?

"I'm sorry!" Kagome suddenly yelled. Inuyasha leapt back.

"Wha-What are you talking about?!" he snapped. She held her breath for a second as he stared at her.

"I-I…" she stuttered horribly, "Sorry for making you go in there. I know you didn't really want to."

Inuyasha shrugged. "It's alright. I just don't believe in that fortune stuff. I've been to enough to know how fake they are." He smirked. "Plus I've lost a ton of money from listening to all their lies."

Kagome smiled in spite of herself. Leave it to Inuyasha to always make her feel better. Perhaps this little detour in to the spirits hadn't been a complete waste of time.

"Well…thanks for coming with me…" she said sincerely. He nodded. "Oh." Kagome reached for her wallet. "I owe you ten bucks…"

He waved her off. "Forget it." She smiled sweetly, her mood suddenly in high spirits. She stared at him intently, feeling her cheeks heat up for some unknown reason.

He glanced back at her. "Uh…it's almost one thirty. Don't you need to get back to your mom?"

Kagome's eyes widened. Her eyes found the clock. "Oh my God! My mom is going to kill me!" She looked back at Inuyasha who sighed heavily. She felt bad for leaving him once again.

"Inu-"

"Just go. I'll find you later." She nodded, before sprinting off toward her family booth.

She raced to the bathroom first, changing swiftly in to her summer dress. Her hair was horribly messy, but there was no time. She just hoped that it would pass in front of her mother. She ran for another few minutes and in to the Higurashi booth. It wasn't hard to find her mother.

"Kagome! There you are!" Instead of an overly sweet voice, Kagome was greeted with a slightly more bitter and aggravated one. Her mother's mouth was set in a tight line, and she towered over Kagome easily, with her hands on her hips. Kagome gulped.

"Where have you been?!" She glanced at her wrist watch. "It is one forty five. You are late!"

"I'm sorry…" Kagome mumbled. What more could she say? Her mother sighed tiredly, already used to her apologies.

"You need to learn better time management." she reprimanded. Kagome nodded tiredly. Her mother's eyebrows narrowed at her state of appearance. "Kagome dear…you look awful." Kagome bit her tongue from lashing a response. She had been in a good mood a few minutes ago, and now she just felt it turn sour.

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head and waved her hands in the air. "Never mind…" she drew in a deep breath. "We don't have much time Kagome. We are sharing a booth with the Nakamura family this year. You need to go help them out with the mystery booth. So hurry up and find the booth! They're expecting you!"

Kagome groaned. Another job? Couldn't she just enjoy the carnival for once? Her mother didn't waste any time and pushed her off in the right direction. As she jogged off, a thought occurred to her.

'_Wait. My mom said Nakamura. Isn't that…Kikyou's family?'_

XxXxXx

"Hello again sir! Would you like anoth-"

"No I do not want another go at it!" Inuyasha snapped.

The poor man's face paled on the spot and he cowered away from the angry teenager in front of him. Inuyasha sighed. It was just his luck for him to get stuck by himself at the carnival. He couldn't completely blame Souta. It was his mom that needed his help, but Inuyasha rather liked the idea of having someone to blame. The soda can at his feet didn't stand a chance as Inuyasha kicked it hard off in to the distance, like a soccer ball. He had never felt so bored.

A bright yellow flier was suddenly thrust in to his face, breaking him out of his momentary depressed mood. A young boy was quickly passing out the fliers to all the guys nearby. Inuyasha grabbed it and read with half hearted interest, until his eyes caught one word.

"Nakamura?" he whispered. He read the rest of the flier.

"_Please come and check out the newest attraction at the Geisha Ladies Carnival! The Kissing Booth! Please come by and support us! Get kissed by a young lady as well! Hosted by the Nakamura and Higurashi family! Located at the Nakamura booth section."_

Inuyasha stared blankly. Okay…so maybe this was a little pathetic of him to even consider going, but hell! This was a chance of a lifetime! He probably wouldn't get another chance like this again! True, the Nakamura's had two daughters, but that was a fifty-fifty chance that it would be Kikyou! Letting something like this go by would be probably haunt him for the rest of his life. Plus, this way he could prove to Souta that he wasn't a coward.

Clutching the paper in his hand, he made his long way toward the Nakamura booths.

XxXxXx

She ran.

Hard.

If she was any later than she could help, her mother would kill her. If she at least behaved and got through this, maybe her mom wouldn't be too hard on her. Unfortunately, the Nakamura booth was quite some distance away. At this rate, she would never get there! Kagome pushed herself harder, her feet pounding on the grass as she cut yet another corner past a booth. She had run in to multiple people so far, but she couldn't afford to stop now.

She prayed this time that she didn't run in to Kouga again. That was the last thing she needed…

Another corner she turned.

"Oof!" A collision once again and Kagome felt the pull of gravity carry her down. She was fully prepared to meet the dirt, when a hand shot out and grasped her wrist. She regained the footing beneath her, cursing herself for her stupidity. The person spoke, with a voice that made Kagome gasp.

"Uh…sorry. You okay?" She looked up to clash with golden eyes.

'_Inuyasha!' _ She felt froze to the spot. So many things raced through her mind. Did he know who she was? Would he realize? She gulped as his eyes bore in to her confusingly. He didn't look concerned with her lack of answer, and instead was studying her face intently. She had never seen him look so focused at someone, not even Kikyou. It was like he was trying to see through her, grasping at every detail he could. He released her wrist, but unconsciously leaned closer to her. She held her breath, praying.

"Do…do I know you?" he asked. His eyes had never left hers, but Kagome turned away.

"No…I don't think so…" she whispered. "Thanks for catching me…sorry about that." And without another word, she ran off.

'_That was way too close…' _she thought. He had recognized her…somewhat. If she wasn't careful, she could ruin everything.

XxXxXx

'_Finally…' _Inuyasha thought, completely relieved.

The Nakamura tent had been a bitch to get to, almost on the other side of the carnival. Luckily for Inuyasha, it stood out from all the rest. Well…then again, it was a KISSING booth. That was bound to stand out among the crowd. The booth had been lavishly decorated with various shades of red, pink and white. The words: Kissing Booth stood out the most in bright bold letters of deep red. Hearts adorned the stage, and two chairs were placed facing one another in the center of the stage.

And one of those chairs was currently occupied by Kikyou.

She was waiting patiently for the next boy to come. He was a young kid, hardly a teenager, who looked so terribly nervous. He sat down, and she pecked him on the lips. He looked as if he would faint, with a smile so big on his face as if heaven shined upon him. Inuyasha looked toward the many other guys in the long line. Most were about his age, some a few years younger, and there were even some old men as well. He cringed.

Inuyasha gulped. If Kikyou saw him now, he might end up loosing his courage. He couldn't back out when there was such a window of opportunity. Without even thinking, Inuyasha walked over to the side of the large stage and bought a ticket. He got in line, behind maybe twenty or so others. He growled impatiently. This could be a while.

The line moved fairly quickly much to Inuyasha's pleasure. However, once he was within the ten people mark, he could feel his palms become sweaty. He just prayed to God that he didn't screw this up. He glanced behind him and saw the line extend even longer than before. Some of the guys were even holding multiple tickets in their hand. Yeah…getting back in line was unlikely. He just needed to go up there, make some flow, kiss her, and then get her to meet up with him later. Simple, right? It sounded easy, and he tried to be calm about it, but inside, his heart was pounding so loud he could hear it.

Only five people in front of him now. _'Almost there…' _he chanted, taking a deep breath.

Four.

Three.

Two.

The guy in front of him was probably the smallest little shrimp he had ever seen. Barely out of middle school, with big thick glasses, and a haircut that screamed for a make over. The boy walked shakily over to the empty chair in front of Kikyou. She smiled at him. He stiffened, his composure wavering. Just as she was about to lean in and kiss him, he stopped her.

"W-wait…" he stuttered out. She paused, listening. "Could I…maybe…kiss you instead? I've never kissed a girl before and I want to be able to initiate it first…" his cheeks were flushed with an incredible shyness. She laughed, covering it with her hand.

"Of course you may." Her voice left shivers down Inuyasha' spine. Perhaps he should ask the same thing.

The little school boy leaned forward to kiss Kikyou on the lips. She didn't move at all, letting him finish. A few seconds ticked by…and then a few more. Still, the boy's lips were on Kikyou's. Inuyasha growled impatiently. This boy was taking way too long.

By now, Kikyou's eyes were wide open. She was making small noises in her throat to alert the young boy, but he showed no signs of hearing her. Her hands came up as well, not touching him, but trying to wave him off and give him a signal to stop. The boy didn't notice, his eyes still closed tight. Inuyasha's growl escalated. This stupid boy was making Kikyou suffer! Well, in a weird sort of way. He had to do something. He had to save her! It might be cliché, but hey, if it got him brownie points with Kikyou, then it just might be worth it.

Clearing his throat, Inuyasha handed the lady his ticket before walking up behind the boy. He reached out to grab the boys shoulder…but he was a little too late.

Another hand shot out, but instead it grabbed Kikyou's shoulder, pulling her back gently.

The contact between Kikyou and the boy was immediately lost, and three sets of eyes looked up at the newcomer. Kikyou looked so relieved and the poor boy looked slightly disappointed. She gave him a smile.

"Thanks for coming." Kikyou said cheerfully as he walked off. She looked up at the other girl who had helped her. "Thanks…for that." She mumbled, smiling even brighter. The girl returned the smile, possibly with one that was just as brilliant as Kikyou's.

"It's no problem. Besides…it's my turn anyway." The girl said sheepishly. Kikyou let out a sigh of happiness. Inuyasha froze.

'_What the hell? Her turn? Wait…oh no way…' _he denied. His thoughts were confirmed as Kikyou gave the new girl a hug and walked down and off the stage while the other girl took a seat in the empty chair. Inuyasha groaned. Out of all the times! Kikyou had to leave now! And now he had to kiss some girl he barely knew! And pay for it!

"It's just my luck…" he muttered quietly, watching Kikyou go. The new girl had heard him clear enough though. Her eyes narrowed a fraction. He looked toward her and panicked.

"No! Wait! That's not what I meant!" He tried to assure. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh. Then what did you mean? Did you want me to go get her back for you?" she asked bitterly. What was with this girl? He hadn't meant it…didn't she get it? The way the girl crossed her legs roughly under her floral red dress, and the glowing glare she continued to give him, he knew she didn't quite get it. He had to say something…

"I…" he stumbled.

"Well…?" she questioned. He gulped.

"I didn't mean it like that…it's not that you aren't…well cause you know…? You are…." He groaned pathetically. That was probably the lamest apology he could've mustered. He didn't even get what he just said! That meant that girl probably didn't understand him either. Now she would really be pissed. He sighed miserably.

And she giggled.

His eyes snapped up to meet her chocolate brown ones. She was a very pretty girl he realized. Soft and shiny black hair that feel just beyond her shoulders and a smile that could bring world peace. Full lips and red flushed cheeks that complimented her flawless face. Hell…she wasn't just pretty. She was…he blushed at his own thoughts.

She shook her head. "I know what you mean…don't worry." Now that he looked her, he knew where he had seen her. He had run in to her on the way here, on the way to the booth. No wonder she had looked so familiar…

She smiled at him once more, her eyes shinning happily. He returned it, leaning forward.

"Hey! What's the hold up?!" Both of them froze and turned around. A little chubby boy had stepped forward, waving his ticket in his hand. He didn't look too happy. "I paid good money for this! What is taking so long!?" he cried.

One of the Nakamura mothers came forward, trying to quiet the young boy. "Please just be patient young man. You will get your turn…"

The little boy snorted. "Yeah right! None of us will ever get a chance if this idiot keeps flirting with her!" he looked straight at Inuyasha who was glaring at him. "You don't need to work your moves with her! You're paying for it!"

"Shut up…you little brat." Inuyasha snapped, growling loudly. "Just wait your turn!" The little boy huffed, getting back in line. Inuyasha sighed, brining his eyes back to the girl across from him. He bit his lip nervously and sat down in the seat opposite to her.

"So…" he began quietly. "I guess I should uh…"

Her hands were shaking, a clear sign that she was nervous, but she still smiled sweetly. "Yeah…I think you should." How is it that this girl seemed to know everything he was going to say?

"Okay…" he breathed deeply, leaning in. "Okay…uh…here I come…" She leaned in too, closing her eyes. He hesitated for a moment, afraid of his actions, before finally closing the distance.

Their lips met.

A heat of passion rushed through him, so powerful that it shocked him to the very core. He felt light as air, want to stay like this forever, his lips on hers, tasting every bit of her. Her lips moved rhythmically with his, as if following every beat of his fast pacing heart. He leaned against her as well, his hand automatically coming up to draw her closer, his hand gentle, yet firm on the back of her neck. He heard her moan beneath him as his lips devoured her.

Who knew that such a simple action could produce such feelings within him? He barely knew her and yet…all this…felt so familiar. He welcomed the feeling entirely.

XxXxXx

Kagome knew she should not have been surprised to see Inuyasha at the kissing booth. She should not have been surprised to see his disappointed face as she switched with Kikyou. But still…she couldn't help the scowl on her face. She knew he didn't… think of her that, she didn't expect that. But oh did she wish it.

Inuyasha was a helpless guy when it came to talking to a girl. His incoherent words meant nothing and it perfectly labeled his inexperience, but to Kagome…who had spent the past two weeks with him, she understood it all. So she giggled at him, and smiled in spite of his situation. And then of course, just when their "flow" might have been going somewhere, that little brat came and ruined it all. Inuyasha told him off thankfully. He looked back to her, his eyes shinning just for her. She had wanted this moment for a very long time.

And then he had kissed her.

And this one most certainly did not last for just a fleeting second.

Hell, Kagome didn't really know how long it lasted. She had long since lost track.

His lips had met hers, hesitant but truthfully with no displeasure. As his lips moved against hers, Kagome felt a pool of fire and ice awaken within her, so much stronger and alive than before. It was as if that spin the bottle kiss was merely an intro, but this was the main event. She felt like she was floating once again, in a pure sea of happiness. When Inuyasha growled with pleasure, she met his growl with one of her own, completely drunk with happiness as he pulled her closer. His hand teased and sent shivers down her spine as it found her neck; his lips so soft as he leaned closer.

She may have denied it before. Maybe even considered it, but then had brushed it aside. But now…where she was in this happy place, she didn't even try to ignore it. For how could she possibly deny the truth?

'_I…guess I am in love with him.' _She realized. For an odd reason, her body didn't shake with such a realization, but instead merely relaxed and enjoyed the way Inuyasha held her so tenderly. This was where she wanted to be.

He pulled away from her, leaving Kagome feeling saddened and itching for more.

He licked his lips, his face now flushed, but she didn't miss the glow in his eyes. He had enjoyed it too. "I guess…that was one ticket's worth."

Kagome had no idea what came over her at the moment. Perhaps it was that sudden acceptance of her feelings. Or maybe because Inuyasha was making it too easy. Either way, it worked for her. She felt bold and confident, ignoring all the others around her.

"No…I don't think so…" she purred, pulling his forelocks to silence his confused look with her lips once more. He responded immediately, using two hands this time to cup her cheeks and kiss her more easily. The heat of fire within her returned and Kagome had never felt so thrilled.

Unfortunately, their second kiss did not last quite as long as the first. A small tap on Kagome's shoulder jolted her out of her session with Inuyasha. She released him regretfully and turned around.

It was her mother.

Kagome gulped.

Her mother was downright furious. Anyone watching could tell that was certainly not a simple "kissing booth kiss". And of course, such actions completely defiled what the Geisha Ladies were all about. In her mother's eyes, she had just tainted everything she had worked for.

"Kagome…" her mother began, her tone sharp as steel. "May I see you for a moment?"

"Kagome?" She heard Inuyasha breathe. She could just see the wheels turning in his head.

Her mother's hard eyes turned toward him. "Young man…I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave now."

"But…"

"Now." She repeated and he shut his mouth. He glanced once more at her, and she gave him a smile. He smiled as well, before walking off the stage. Once he was gone and off, her mother's hand had found hers and was pulling her off the stage. Kagome saw Keade emerge from the back room to take her seat at the booth. Her mother tugged her hard in to the back before rounding on her.

"Out of all the irresponsible things for you to do Kagome! And at our carnival no less!"

"But mom-!"

"But what Kagome?!" she stressed. "I ask you to do one simple thing! And you couldn't even do that properly! I'm just….I'm disappointed Kagome…."

Kagome could feel tears coming in to her eyes. Would it always be like this? "Mom…let me explain…"

But her mother cut her off sharply. "There's nothing to explain Kagome. I saw you making out with a random boy. I thought you would have better judgment than that…"

"Mom-" Kagome cried desperately. She never let her explain anything. It was always her fault. Although…in this situation, it may be, but why couldn't she let her speak?

"I don't want to hear anymore of this Kagome. Please just go back to the Higurashi tent and help out over there." Her mother finished tiredly. By the end of the conversation, her mother looked positively drained and exhausted. She felt a pang of guiltiness.

"I'm sorry…" Kagome whispered. Her mother looked at her with tired eyes.

"I know Kagome…" she replied, before walking out the tent to leave Kagome with her thoughts.

Kagome stood there for what felt like hours on end. How could she let herself get carried away like that? After sorting her feelings about Inuyasha, she just couldn't contain herself. He was right there…and willing…and she just couldn't let such a moment pass. Despite how it had just ended, Kagome didn't regret any of it. She would do it again if she could. She just wished she didn't have to disappoint her mother by being herself.

Kagome walked out of the tent, the afternoon sun meeting her face. The heat had most likely reached its peak, with the carnival in complete stream. Through the crowds of people, Kagome barely managed to catch a glimpse of the one person she wanted to see. The one person who would make her feel better in her current condition.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered, seeing his form leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets and looking deep in thought. This was her chance, her chance to really get to know him for real. Not as Souta, but as her true self. She needed this…needed to talk to him.

For a moment, she hesitated, remembering her mother's orders of going back to the tent. Seeing her mother's angry face in her mind was almost enough to make her leave, but she paused. She was already in trouble. What more could her mother do? The deal that she had made with Inuyasha also formed in her mind. She was supposed to be getting Kikyou for Inuyasha, and what she was about to do could tamper with that.

But would it really?

All she wanted to do was talk to him, get to know him from another point of view. In a way she was helping him with his socialization with girls. She may have wanted him, but just talking to him didn't necessarily mean that he would forget Kikyou. And even if it did (which she was kind of hoping), what was wrong with being a little selfish once in a while? She was in love with him, so what was so wrong with evening the battle field? Technically, she wasn't breaking her deal. She was just opening the door to the possibilities without closing his original goal. Nothing wrong with that…

"Hey." She called. Upon seeing her, he suddenly straightened up, a heavy blush staining his cheeks. She giggled, liking her decision already.

"Hey…" he replied shakily.

"I don't think we formally met…" she started, hoping to break the ice. "I'm Kagome…"

He cleared his throat. "Inuyasha…"

"Inuyasha huh?" Recognition coated her voice and he bit his lip. "Takahashi right?"

"Yeah…" he mumbled. His eyes saddened. He thought she was going to judge him and his family. She felt guilty at this. It had been her initial reaction to him. She didn't want him to feel uncomfortable. She wanted him to be happy.

"Well then it's nice to meet you Inuyasha." He looked surprised and Kagome thought she saw a ripple of a smile on his face.

"You're Souta's sister, aren't you?" he asked, a little fearfully. Kagome nodded. "Shit…"

She laughed. "Something wrong with that?"

"No." he said quickly. "It's just…I mean I…there's nothing wrong with…with…and well…"

Good lord he was shy…she would have to change that. With a finger, she silenced him. "Want to go get some ice cream? It's really hot…" She smiled brilliantly.

"Uh…Okay…" She saw him visibly relax and smile at her.

XxXxXx

He didn't know whether to curse the Gods in to the seventh hell…or to thank them.

When he had realized that the person he had just kissed was his roommate's sister, he felt screwed. He could practically see their deal disappearing faster and faster down the drain. And then Kagome had asked him to go get ice cream. It had left him feeling more confused than ever before. What should he say? Should he go? Was this violating the friend's code or something? Why was Kagome asking to go anyway? Girls rarely talked to him, let alone those he had just met. Perhaps Souta had put in a good word for him?

He disregarded that thought, remembering the deal he and Souta had made. Souta was helping him get Kikyou, so why would he even bother telling Kagome about him? It didn't fit right at all…

Speaking of Kagome….

She was an interesting person to say the least. It wasn't just the fact that she had a brilliant smile and personality. Or the fact that she was so open and friendly to him. No…

For some reason, Kagome gave him more confidence, more strength. It could have something to do with the fact that she was Souta's sister, but Inuyasha had a feeling it was something much more than that. After just an hour of talking to her, he could already feel himself relaxing, which was rare for someone like him. He was enjoying himself for once.

"So what do you think…" Kagome's voice filtered in his ear, "the Ferris Wheel, or bumper cars?"

"You pick…"She punched him lightly on the arm. "Hey…" he cried, rubbing his arm, feigning hurt.

"You don't have to be a gentleman when you're with me Inuyasha…"

"Maybe I want to…" he found himself saying. _'Did I really just say that?' _

She smiled brilliantly. "I promise to let you do that later…but I want you to pick. It's not fun if we do everything that I like to do."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well…I've never been on a Ferris Wheel before…"

"You've never been on one?" she gasped. He shook his head briefly before she tugged him toward the ride. "Then that's the one we're going on." She stated firmly. They bought a ticket and boarded the ride. They went around and around, enjoying the ride, mostly sitting in silence and taking in the sights.

Inuyasha's eyes suddenly locked on something he hadn't noticed before. "Hey…what happened to your shoulder?" Part of her shoulder had been bandaged up. Kagome gripped at it, unconsciously, as if suddenly remembering that it was there. She looked at Inuyasha with fearful eyes. _'Why does she look so scared?' _"Kagome?" he asked.

"I uh…" she stuttered. "I got a tattoo…yeah…" For some reason, she didn't sound too sure of herself.

"That's cool…" Inuyasha breathed. "What does it look like?"

"A…dog…" Inuyasha nodded, looking back at her shoulder. It must have been a pretty big dog. That bandage was rather large. Wait…did they even put those on tattoos? It didn't look like one of those bandages that they put on tattoos. Inuyasha felt confused.

'_Actually…' _he pondered, his mind wandering. '_That's the same place Souta-_'

His thoughts were interrupted by the gondola suddenly jerking forward to a stop at the top of the Ferris Wheel. They leaned a little too forward for Inuyasha's taste and he gripped the safely bar tightly. He gulped, seeing the ground below them.

"I think this is why I never went on this ride…"

She giggled, the sound like music in his ears. "Oh come on…it can't be that bad up here."

He looked around at the beautiful view, at the bright blue sky, and then finally back at her. He looked her right in the eye. "Alright...maybe it's not so bad up here." He mumbled.

She broke her gaze from him, but he could still see the blush on her cheeks. "Oh I get it…" she began.

He blinked. "Huh?"

She pointed an accusing finger at him. "You just wanted to go on the Ferris Wheel because there is a two-seater…unlike the one-seater in the bumper cars…" she teased.

"No! No I didn't! I just…I have never…" he cried frantically. The last thing he needed was for Kagome to think he was a jerk or something. Then it would get back to Souta…and all hell would break loose.

But she laughed. "I'm just kidding Inuyasha…I know you're not like that…"

He smiled, glad to hear those words come out of her mouth.

The ride eventually came to a stop and they got off. They walked around for another half an hour around the carnival, just talking. It was all so comfortable and natural for him, talking to Kagome. It was as if he had been doing it forever. Eventually, they came to the games area.

"Why don't you give one of these booths a try Inuyasha?" Kagome said.

He looked around, surveying all of them. "Maybe later…I'm not really great at all these…"

She waved his comment aside. "Nonsense. Just because none of these are kendo booths doesn't mean you can't do anything else…"

"I didn't say I couldn't do any of them…I just said I'm not that great…" he corrected.

She smiled, a shine coming in to her eyes. "Alright then…why don't you show me?"

He nearly tripped over nothing. "Huh?"

"You said you could do them…so show me…" she said innocently, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Yeah but…"

"How about that soccer one over there?" she remarked, pointing to her left. He shook his head.

"I hate soccer."

"Oh…" she paused. "Well how about that football one?"

Shit. That was the one he had been to before. He could still see that old man he had yelled at. "Uh…." He didn't get the chance to finish for Kagome was already tugging him toward the booth. She pulled out a few bills.

"I'll even pay…" His eyes narrowed. No way in hell was he letting her pay. He pushed her money away.

"No it's fine…" he turned to the old man who had finally noticed them. He was looking at Inuyasha with fearful eyes.

"Sir! You're back! Uh…." He gulped, straightening his shirt. "Want to try again?"

"Again?" Kagome called, surprised. Inuyasha groaned. "You've been here before?" He nodded, feeling pathetic.

She smiled. "Well…second times the charm right?"

"Actually it's the fourth…" the old man replied. Inuyasha growled at him, and he shrunk back. Kagome grasped his hand gently. The contact sent shivers up his arm, making his heart race even faster.

"Well then…you better get it on this one." She said playfully, challenging him. "Otherwise, I'm going to give it a try."

Her words fueled him. He felt excited and yet nervous all at once. Adrenaline and drive filled him, and his senses with concentration and determination. He had to make this shot, or face utter humiliation at her hands.

"Alright…" he said, smirking. He slammed a dollar on the counter and picked up the small leather ball. He laced his fingers properly and focused his eyes on his target.

"You can do it Inuyasha…" He heard Kagome cheer. He threw the ball.

And her words just may have been the reason why he made it.

As soon as the ball sailed though the hole, he heard Kagome's happy cry behind him. The old man behind the counter rang a bell loudly, pronouncing him the winner. He handed Inuyasha a small stuffed panda. But none of that mattered to Inuyasha. All he could focus on was Kagome's ecstatic face in front of him. It made his heart soar with pride to see her.

He handed her the panda. "Here." The blush on his cheeks returned. She grasped the animal tenderly and looked as if she was about to protest, but this time, he cut her off, feeling bold. "You said I could be a gentleman later on…"

She laughed. "Alright then…" she said, giving in. Her arms came around to embrace him, hugging him tightly. "Thanks…" she whispered.

He hugged her back, inhaling deeply. She smelled so good. This felt good. He didn't want to leave. Ever.

Too bad fate sucked.

In the next instant, he felt Kagome being pulled away from him harshly. He looked up, his golden eyes clashing with furious blue ones.

XxXxXx

Kagome didn't want to leave. She had never felt so safe in his arms. Being with Inuyasha, made her feel happier than ever. Although he would never admit it, he was being so sweet to her, and so open and confident, something she had never seen when he was talking to other girls. And she loved that about him.

Her hug with Inuyasha was cut incredibly short as she felt a hand grab her shoulder, pulling her away from Inuyasha's warm arms. She was surprised with who she saw.

"Kouga?" she cried. He whirled on her.

"Kagome! What the hell are you doing?" he yelled, completely enraged.

She met his question with one of her own. "Were you spying on us?!" she asked angrily. But he didn't answer her. He only had eyes for Inuyasha. His eyes widened in recognition as he realized who he was.

"Takahashi…" he growled out.

"Ookami…" Inuyasha spat out.

Kouga advanced toward him. "What the hell are you doing with girlfriend?"

"I'm not your girlfriend Kouga!" Kagome corrected, seeing the startled look on Inuyasha's face.

But Kouga ignored her and focused on his rival. "Just because you got lucky in one kendo match, doesn't give you any right to try to steal my girl. You underhanded bastard..."

"That wasn't luck. It's something called skill. Maybe you should look it up." Inuyasha growled. They were both getting closer and closer to one another.

"Why you-"

Kagome couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't let them get in trouble. "Guys! Stop it!" she jumped between them and separated them. "Let's just settle down, okay?"

Inuyasha glanced around at the growing crowd they were attracting. "She's right…we can settle this later. At the Osaki Tournament." He stated. Kouga glared at him.

"No…" he mumbled, anger still lacing his voice. "I think we should settle this right now…"

Without warning, Kouga ran past Kagome and came at Inuyasha, throwing a punch at him that landed square on his cheek and threw him to the ground. As Inuyasha stood up, he rubbed his bruised cheek, glaring at a very smug Kouga.

"Bastard…" he grumbled, before coming at Kouga and throwing a punch to his jaw. Kouga fell to the ground hard, but got back up in a flash, shoving Inuyasha to the ground. He was up in a matter of seconds, and wiped a smudge of blood off his cheek.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, but he didn't look at her. His eyes were angry, and completely ready to fight.

Inuyasha charged toward Kouga. They both shoved at each other, resulting in them both falling to the ground. They rolled on the ground a few times, throwing random punches at each other. Kagome could even see some cuts forming on Kouga's lip and eyes, plus a few bruises on Inuyasha. A rather large crowd was now around them watching.

Biting her lip, Kagome quickly darted toward the boys, hoping to end this fight. She came behind Kouga and grasped his shoulders to pull him off Inuyasha, but he shoved her away. She landed on the ground hard, crying out as her arm scraped the dirt. She saw Inuyasha's eyes flicker toward her before rounding back on Kouga who was still punching him.

"You guys! Stop it!" She came next to Kouga, grabbing his arm, effectively pausing his punches. This gave Inuyasha the opening he needed. He threw one final punch to Kouga's face. Blood began pouring down his nose. He stood up, running toward Inuyasha who stood, ready for his attack.

"That is enough!"

A voice, that frightened Kagome more than anything screamed out. Her mother had returned, this time, with a few other Geisha Mothers. They all hurried over to the boys and Kagome.

"There is no room for violence here!" Kagome's mother shouted angrily. "Both of you must leave now!"

Her mother looked beyond furious, livid, face scrunched up angrily and eyes glowing with utter distaste. Not even the boys dared to argue with her. She was almost shaking with anger. Slowly, Kouga and Inuyasha got to their feet and began walking away.

Kagome tried to follow. "Inu-"

"Kagome! Come with me now!" her mother yelled. Kagome saw Inuyasha turn around and look at her, but she could say no more, for her mother was dragging her away for the second time that day. She watched him walk away. She was pulled in to the first aid tent, where her mother brought out some bandages and began fixing the cut on her elbow.

"Kagome…" her mother mumbled, barely containing her anger. "How could you?"

Kagome bit her lip from the sting of the cut. "Mom. I didn't mean to-"

"Don't try to make excuses Kagome. I know what I saw. Everyone saw what happened. I just…" she sighed, her words trailing off.

"Mom…just let me explain…" This conversation was already beginning to sound like their previous ones.

"Just stop Kagome…" he mother interrupted. "I'm tired of your excuses. I feel like I can't trust you anymore…"

Kagome felt her eyes beginning to water once again. "Mom…you don't understand. Kouga was the one who started it all! I was trying to stop it!"

Her mother tightened the bandage on her elbow. "Well it didn't work Kagome. And this never would have happened if you had gone back to the tent like I told you to."

Kagome sighed. Her mother was completely right about that. "I'm sorry…" she whispered for the umpteenth time that day. Her mother rubbed her eyes, completely wiped out.

"Sorry isn't always going to work Kagome…"

There she goes again! Why couldn't her mother just accept her apology? Couldn't she see that she was trying to amending things? Kagome knew that sorry wouldn't fix everything, but it was a start. Why couldn't her mother see that? Why did she always make her feel like everything she did was wrong?

"Mom…why do you always do this to me?" Kagome asked quietly.

"Do what?"

"You always…make me feel like I've failed as your daughter. That everything I do is wrong and I won't ever be able to please you." Kagome said bravely. This was the first time she had ever said such words to her mother.

Her mother gasped. "What? Kagome…dear…I'm only angry because you never do what you're told! I'm not trying to make you feel-"

But Kagome cut her off. "Yes…you do mom. Ever since I was old enough to talk, you've always been on my case about being the perfect lady. I think you need to realize that I'm not perfect, nor will I ever be. I hate it when you assume things about me when you really haven't taken the moment to get to know me…" she sighed, "I just…I think you deserve to know that I've never really been, nor will I ever be interested in this life you want to me to live. I want to live my own life, my own way, no matter how imperfect it may be."

Her mother stared at her with wide eyes, tears just beginning to break through. She looked at her. Truly looked at her, completely shocked. She sighed heavily, putting her head in her hands.

"I had no idea Kagome…I guess I…" she gulped, "I guess ever since Souta had been wandering off and living his own dream without me…I just wanted someone there to share my passion with. I have such high hopes for you that I wanted you to be the best. But I guess your best isn't the way I envision it."

Kagome smiled softly.

"I'm so sorry Kagome. I never meant to hurt you…" Kagome couldn't take it anymore. With a sudden spurt of energy, she launched herself at her mother and engulfed her in a hug. Her mother embraced her back, a long awaited understanding and peace forming between them.

She looked back up at her mother. "It's okay. I don't want to hurt you either…"

Her mother laughed. "Oh Kagome dear…you're always thinking of others aren't' you?"

Someone with golden eyes flashed in to her mind. "I suppose so. It's just the way I am."

"And I accept you for that Kagome…" Her mother stated seriously, but still lovingly. "I promise to try and not interfere with your life from now on…at least…not too much."

"Thanks mom…" They moved to hug one another. It was something they both needed. "I love you…"

"I love you too, Kagome…" Her mother replied. Giving her one more smile, her mom walked out of the tent. As she left, Kagome felt as if a huge burden had been removed. She felt somewhat at peace, and immensely relieved.

Things would get better.

XxXxXx

How's that for an EXTRA EXTRA long chapter! Holy snap!

You have no idea how long this stupid chapter took me. I had most of it done on Friday, but I had the hardest time with the Inu/Kag conversation. I had no idea how to start it. Luckily, now that schools over, I have so much more time.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I hope things didn't feel too rushed! I was a little concerned with Kagome, and her mom's conversation at the end. It had to be done!

Please review! I spent so much time on this chapter.


	16. The Best Defense is a Strong Offense

"So, did you enjoy the carnival?"

"Yeah. It was…a lot of fun." Kagome remarked. Fun may not have been enough to completely describe the day. Kagome supposed that was how one felt after spending the day with someone you were in love with. There were just no words to describe it.

"That's nice…it was a great turnout this year." Kikyou pulled in to the Shikon State parking lot. Inuyasha had been forced to leave the carnival which had meant Kagome had no ride home. Luckily, Kikyou had offered her a ride. It was around eleven thirty at night.

Kagome yawned. "Definitely."

"Very crowded…"

"Yeah…"

"Which is probably why you didn't come to the kissing booth…" Kikyou mumbled.

Kagome did a double take. "Pardon?"

"I didn't get a chance to see you." Kikyou added, ignoring Kagome's earlier confusion. Was it Kagome, or did Kikyou sound kind of…distant? And that certainly wasn't like her. What suddenly happened to the cheerful and always positive Kikyou that Kagome admired?

"Kikyou…are you alright?" Kagome asked, worried.

Kikyou's eyes shined. "Oh…I'm fine. Thank you for asking Souta. You're such a sweet guy…"

"Thanks…" Kagome bit her lip, gathering her strength. "You know Kikyou…Inuyasha is-"

"Why do you always bring Inuyasha in to everything?" Kikyou remarked, sounding annoyed. For the first time, her mask of pleasantness had fallen and was replaced with a very cross look. Kagome was completely taken off guard.

"I-I don't…"

Kikyou sighed. They walked together up to the dorm building. The path divided in to two directions: left for girls and right for boys. Kikyou began making her way to her left, not looking at her. It was if she was trying to ignore 'Souta'. Kagome couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Here was Kikyou, trying to be nice to her, and she was always throwing things in to her face. It wasn't fair to try and manipulate Kikyou like this.

"Hey Kikyou!" She turned around. "You know…you didn't have to offer me a ride, but you did. I just want to thank you for all the kind things you've done for me. So thanks…"

Kikyou beamed. "You're welcome."

"Good night." Kagome said with a wave.

"Good night…Souta." Kikyou replied with a smile. She turned the corner up the stairs and walked out of sight. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief.

She was tired. Tired of all these lies and deceit to those around her; to Inuyasha…Kikyou…everyone. She just wanted everything to be fine, but once everyone found out the truth, what would they say? What would Inuyasha think of her? She couldn't possibly imagine seeing the pure hatred on his face…for her. Not when she cared about him too much. And Kikyou…how could she betray someone like that? All of her actions had come because she was selfish. And tonight, when she was about to tell Kikyou how great Inuyasha was, she had been stopped. And for the first time, Kagome had never been so glad. She didn't want to tell Kikyou how great of a guy he was.

She wanted to say that to Inuyasha.

She wanted to tell him how she really felt. But…she was scared. Scared of ruining everything and making it worse. She had to do it the right way. She had to come on to it as clean as possible.

So she decided.

'_Tonight I will tell Inuyasha everything…' _She had to. He deserved to know the most out of everyone. Inuyasha trusted her as Souta, and she couldn't afford to lose that trust. At least this way, he might forgive her and maybe give her a chance.

'_With all the selfish things I've done, this is the best I can do to make it all better…' _

She walked up the steps to the dorm, surprised at how weak she felt. She was scared, terrified of what Inuyasha would think of her. Her palms were becoming sweaty; it was almost becoming difficult to breathe. She pulled out her keys, and opened the door.

He was there, as expected, lying on his bed with only his red flannel pants on. He was reading a magazine, and didn't seem to notice her entrance. She walked in quietly, setting her things down by the bed. For a moment, she just stared at him. The magazine covered most of his face, much to her disappointment. A smile graced her face at his usual night attire.

"Where were you today? I never found you." he called out, not moving the magazine.

"I got stuck helping my mom. She wouldn't let me get away." She sat on the bed. "Where did you go? You just disappeared…"

He breathed. "Yeah…sorry about that. I got kicked out."

Kagome feigned surprise. "What?" He put the magazine down revealing his face. His perfect face had a large cut over his eye and a dark bruise staining his cheek. She gasped in surprise, this time for real at seeing the caliber of the wounds.

"Inuyasha! Are you okay?" she couldn't keep the desperation out of her voice. He looked at her confusingly at her fuss. She didn't even realize she was now standing. He groaned, and grabbed the ice pack on the bed and pressed it to his forehead.

"God…I've got a major headache." He closed his eyes.

"Inuyasha?" She sat back down. "What happened?" Standard question of course. She had to keep it together, and remember when she had been Kagome and Souta. Now would be the worst time to forget that.

He put the ice pack down, sighing deeply. He looked a little scared and hesitant. "Well…I met your sister…"

"Kagome?" He nodded. "Where?"

"At the…uh…" he coughed, "kissing booth."

"Kissing booth?" she repeated slowly, then paused. "Wait…did you…kiss her?"

He sighed miserably, trying to avoid all eye contact with her. "Yeah...look, I hope that's okay. I mean…it was…I wasn't trying to do anything. I swear! And uh…it was for a good cause." He finished quietly. Inuyasha was looking at her with such an apologetic look on his face. It held a tinge of fear and hesitancy.

She waved him off. "Oh no…it's fine. I mean…if you want to kiss her, go right ahead. I…don't mind. It's…uh…perfectly fine." What happened to telling the truth to Inuyasha? _'Well, technically this is the truth…'_

"Okay…" He looked away, so she was unable to see his face.

"So what else happened?"

"Well, she asked me to go get some ice cream. We went on a few rides, played a few games. Then, at one of the game booths, we ran in to Kouga Ookami. He started saying some bullshit and…well…" he indicated his face. Kagome nodded in understanding. He sighed, and rubbed his sore cheek, with a distant look in his eyes.

Kagome twiddled her thumbs. "So…did you have fun?"

"Fighting?"

"No!" Kagome cried. "I meant…with my sister."

"Oh…yeah. It was fun." His eyes softened. Kagome paused, relishing in the moment. He had said that he had fun with her, but there was something else she wanted to know. It was something she had to ask him.

"Do you…like her…?" she asked quietly.

He looked at her with wide eyes, his face flaming red. "I…uh…"

"Inuyasha?" She wanted to know so badly.

"Why are you asking me this?" he questioned suspiciously. Ah…leave it to Inuyasha to try and change the direction of conversation.

She shrugged. "I don't know…I guess that if you like her, you might want to ask her out or something." She prayed that he didn't catch the eagerness in her voice.

"And forget about Kikyou?" he said, startled.

Kagome winced. That image of Kikyou and Inuyasha in her mind seemed to be slipping away from her each second that went by and she was glad that it was. Maybe telling Inuyasha the truth right now wasn't the best moment. Maybe, she shouldn't even bother. She wanted him right? And telling him the truth probably wouldn't help…

But…wouldn't help with what exactly?

'_Face it Kagome. You don't want him with Kikyou.' _

She sighed. So after her little guilt trip about lying, was she going to continue it?

'_The truth is I want him with me…' _

"Yes…" she answered. _'Forget Kikyou…' _He shot her a confused look, and she continued,"Well…based on what I've seen so far, from my experienced and completely professional point of view...I don't think that you and Kikyou…are really made for each other."

"What are you talking about?" he asked incredulously.

She was losing him. Maybe this talk was a little too emotional for him. He sounded worn, beaten, exhausted. She would have to try a different approach. A more manly approach to get his attention and so that he would see what she meant.

She cleared her throat and lay down on the bed, tucking her arms behind her head. "Don't get me wrong. I mean, Kikyou is hot and all…and so is Kagome. Both would be…worthwhile. So I guess it all comes down to a matter of preference."

He growled at her.

"Is that all you think about Souta?" he asked harshly.

"Well…no…I didn't mean it like that…" she began, realizing where his thoughts where going. Maybe those weren't the right words to say.

"I should've known. You are just like Miroku and Bankotsu." He whispered. Kagome felt herself go stiff, her heart suddenly stopping in her chest. She…hadn't meant for Inuyasha to react like this. It pained her for him to think so…little of her. Perhaps she didn't know him as well as she thought. She tried a different approach.

"Inuyasha…You're…a really sensitive guy, aren't you?" she asked softly, although it didn't feel like a question. He looked at her with wide eyes.

"What? No…" he denied, breaking his eye contact with her and looking up at the ceiling.

"Inuyasha?"

He sighed. "I just…I just think that when you're in a relationship, there are more important things than just the physical stuff." He explained softly. He had never opened up like this before.

'_Inuyasha…' _She smiled.

"When I'm with someone…I want to be able to talk to them too. Of course the…non verbal stuff is important too, but I also want to be able to talk about anything…" He finished.

"Anything? Like what?" She asked interested.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Just…stuff I guess."

"You mean stuff like...what we're talking about now?" she mentioned bravely.

He smiled. "Yeah…"

She could feel herself beginning to break down. Talking to Inuyasha like this, knowing that he still trusted her, it meant the world to her. How could she possibly assume such thoughts from him? She should've known he wasn't like that at all. Her thoughts drifted back to her encounter with him and how flustered he had gotten over her "two seater/one seater" remark.

Suddenly, he sat up in his bed, and was glaring at her hotly. "You better not repeat this to anyone. What I just said…it's for your ears only. If you tell anyone I'll...kick your ass." He warned. He turned away from her.

She grinned. Typical Inuyasha. She didn't believe his threats even for a second.

"Don't worry. It's all good…" she replied. He didn't answer.

The rest of the night was spent in silence.

XxXxXx

The next few days were a complete blur for Kagome. Her amazing weekend with Inuyasha seemed to nothing but a thing of the past now as kendo once again became the top priority. After the absence of practice for the boy's team, Master Totosai had come down even harder on them in order to prepare them all for the Osaki Tournament that was just two weeks away. Those first few weekdays were filled with nothing but double day practices and harsh lectures from the master. It seemed the anxiety and stress for the tournament was getting the best of Master Totosai. Nothing seemed to completely satisfy him. Kagome had been lucky enough to avoid most of his comments and criticism. Perhaps she was improving…

"Don't tell me you boys are tired!" he cried after an intense round of morning spar rounds. "You'll never make it through the first round with that kind of stamina!"

Kagome felt completely exhausted and everyone around her seemed to be in the same condition. They all drew in their precious breaths as if it were their last. Even Inuyasha seemed to be a bit drained. These two-a-days were really taking it out on them.

"The Oskai Tournament is one of the most prestigious and high ranking kendo tournaments around! If you can't handle a simple spar with your teammates, then you won't survive in the tournament." Master Totosai warned sternly. Kagome exchanged glances with Inuyasha. That was obviously more than just 'simple' spar practice.

"You boys need to get in shape." The master stroked his chin. "So…starting tonight we will have midnight mile runs around the track field for one full hour along with our usual two practices each day."

Everyone groaned, but Master Totosai slammed his shinai down with riveting force. "No complaints! This is for the best. And if any of you decide to not show up, then don't even both coming to the tournament. Class dismissed."

As the boys retreated to the showers, nothing but complaints and colorful curses were heard from the team. No one wanted to run at midnight.

"Dammit…" Inuyasha bit out angrily as he pulled off his shirt. Kagome averted her eyes and stayed rooted to her spot right outside near the locker room entrance. By now, she had the reputation of not wanting to change in the locker room for her own reasons.

"Master Totosai is just trying to fully prepare us…" Kagome defended.

"And suddenly this includes running at midnight?!" Bankotsu argued bitterly. Kagome bit her lip. Perhaps her whole 'finding the positive side of everything' wasn't such a good idea at the moment.

"I have to agree…" Miroku replied, "I see no reason for this. We are more than ready. Master Totosai is just being paranoid…"

"Yeah but-" She began, but was cut off.

"Miroku's right. We shouldn't have to put up with this!" One of the 'A' team members added, slamming his hand hard on the lockers. Renkotsu was easily a force to be reckoned with when he was pissed.

"Keh. Old man needs to get a reality check…" Murmurs of agreement were heard. Kagome rolled her eyes.

There was just no arguing with boys sometimes.

XxXxXx

The limited hours after the morning kendo practice gave Kagome some time to relax. Despite having another practice within just four hours, Kagome found it utterly necessary to shower. She hadn't had one since Inuyasha's house, and thanks to Jakotsu's suggestion, she was now able to shower worry-free. The cold water was a complete relief to Kagome's skin; her aching muscles and bruises relishing in the feel of such treatment.

Wrapping a towel around her body, Kagome made her way to the changing stalls. Another fellow female classmate walked in and Kagome merely smiled in her direction. It was so nice to be in familiar company once again. Sure the guys were entertaining and all, but Kagome could only take so much of their mannerisms. Plus, having only one mirror was just too much for Kagome at this point.

After changing, Kagome decided to walk around on campus, and enjoy the late morning. There were only a few more hours until the afternoon practices. Family Psychology class would begin afterwards, and then she would have the entire night to work and rest until the midnight run. She had never been so tired in her whole life.

'_If I can just make it through these two weeks…then everything should be fine…'_

Suddenly, her phone began ringing. She paused in her stroll and sat down on the nearest bench. "Hello?"

"_Kagome! Hey!"_

She gasped. "Oh my God. Souta?" She hadn't heard from her brother since he had left.

"_Yep, it's me!"_

"How are you?! I miss you so much! I've been calling you but you never answer!" she could barely keep the excitement out of her voice.

He sighed._ "I miss you too Kagome. I'm sorry about the calls. My phone got busted at our first performance night. I didn't really expect all those screaming girls to charge at me like that!"_

She giggled. "Yeah, that must be something new to you right?"

"_I'll adjust! Don't worry; you can still reach me at the hotel. I'll get a new phone when I have the chance, but other than that, I'm fine. Everything is going great down here! You should really come to New York Kagome. It is so amazing and exciting!"_

Kagome's eyes softened. "Aw. I wish I could be there. How has your band been doing? Get any good nights?"

"_Hell yes! We've had some great nights! The people here really love our sound and music! We played an original the other night and they went nuts over it! It was easily the most incredible thing the band has ever been through."_

"That's so great Souta! I am so proud for you!"

She could just see his smiling face. _"Thanks Kagome. So how have things been going back home? How's mom? Tsubaki? Is everything worked out at Shikon State?"_

Kagome gulped. How could she possibly explain Tsubaki to Souta? She had already lucked out with the fact that his phone had broke. No doubt Tsubaki had called him a billion times.

"Uh…everything is great. Shikon State is settled, as well as mom. Tsubaki is well…Tsubaki…" She couldn't keep the sour note out of her voice. Souta must have caught it.

"_Yeah…she can be like that sometimes…" _At least he had realized it too.

"More like all the time."

He sighed deeply. _"Don't worry Kagome. Once I come back, there's going to be some changes, starting with her."_

"Really?" Kagome replied, her eyes wide.

"_Yeah."_

She grinned. "Did you reach enlightenment while in New York Souta? Because you sound completely changed."

He laughed. _"Hey, maybe I have changed for the better. New York does that to you I guess."_

"Yeah right." Kagome said dryly. "I happen to know that it takes a lot more than just a city to change a guy's perspective, even for someone like you."

"_Oh really now? And how would you know? Been hanging out with a few guys lately?" _he teased. Kagome felt herself go red despite the fact that Souta couldn't see her.

"W-What? N-No! Of course not!" she stuttered.

He paused, obviously noting her stumble. _"Alright Kagome…if you say so…"_ His voice didn't sound like he bought her lie for a second. Before Kagome could explain, there was a loud crash in the background, causing Souta to curse profoundly.

"Souta? Is everything okay?" she asked, concerned.

"_Yeah. It's all good. Look Kagome, I got to go. I just wanted to check in with you, but I'll see you soon! I'll be back in Kyoto in about two weeks. Thanks for everything! Bye."_

"Bye." She clicked off her phone. It had been such a relief to hear from her brother. She had to admit, she was starting to get a little worried about him. He could get in to so much trouble sometimes. Her thoughts drifted to his final words.

"_I'll be back in Kyoto in about two weeks!"_

Whether she had realized it or not, her life that she had built here at Shikon State would end in only two weeks. It would be the last she would see of all her new friends, teachers, kendo, and of course, Inuyasha. She still had yet to tell him the truth, as well as everyone else. She was just so afraid of what they would say to her. She didn't want any of this to end. She had gained so much while being here.

And what about Souta? She had never even considered how this would affect him and his social life at the school. Her persona and his could be so different sometimes. Everyone would be able to tell the difference.

'_Face it Kagome…you've dug yourself in to a hole that you may never get out of.'_

She groaned, putting her face in to her hands.

Someone tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped in surprise.

"Mr. Souta! A pleasure as always!" She looked up (not very far up), and her eyes confirmed it.

"Mr.…Saito?" Kagome uttered weakly. Had he heard her conversation? Was her cover totally blown? "H-How are you sir?"

He let out a hearty laugh. "Oh I'm fine Mr. Souta! How kind of you to ask! You were always such a considerate young man!"

Kagome took a deep breath. She had been getting that comment quite a lot lately. Was it so uncommon to ask how people were?

Mr. Saito reached over and grasped Kagome's shoulder firmly. "I just came over to give my greetings. And also to ask, how has your first few weeks at Shikon State been?" Kagome broke her gaze away from his, twitting her fingers nervously.

"Everything has been fine sir. The school has been…as wonderful as always, and the people here are so uh…helpful." She declared, but a little more weakly than she had wished.

His smile was large. "That's just terrific! Excellent news! I am so glad to see that you are enjoying your year."

She paused. "You could say that…"

"Pardon?"

"Nothing…" Kagome muttered quickly.

The old man shrugged. "Well, is there anything I can do for you Souta? Anything else you need? Perhaps some advice with the ladies?" He straightened his jacket smoothly. "You know, back in my day, I was quite the popular stud with the opposite sex."

Kagome stifled her laughter the best she could. "Really now?"

He nodded. "Oh yes! I always knew the perfect way to a woman's heart."

"That sounds great Mr. Saito, but I think I'm okay in that category. I happen to have a lot of experience when it comes to girls." She revealed with a smile. He returned it.

"If your sure then?" She nodded. "Very well then; I won't continue to bother you any longer. You probably have many other things to do."

"Yes sir." She stood up to leave.

"Good luck Mr. Souta! Make our school proud! And if there is anything you need to talk about, know that I am here!" he assured. Kagome waved weakly at him, before turning around and walking away.

'_I need a life…' _she concluded.

XxXxXx

Myoga Saito watched as Souta Hirgurashi walked briskly away. That boy would surely make this school proud. In all his years of assisting this school, Myoga had never met anyone quite as polite and responsible as Souta. It made his heart soar with pride to see such promise walk away to do more for the school.

"I don't see what you were speaking of before. He seems like a very hard working and dedicated young man, just as I concluded before." Myoga spoke seriously, seemingly to no one. That is, until a figure emerged from behind the tree.

"You doubt my opinion?" The figure spoke bitterly

Myoga shook his head. "Not at all Mr. Onigumo. I happen to value your opinion more than most of the school. You are, after all one of our top ranking students here."

Onigumo still didn't look satisfied.

"But still…you disagree with me?"

"I suppose…" he looked toward his best student. "That certainly is a first isn't it?"

Onigumo growled. "You have to trust me sir! That boy," he pointed off in the direction that Souta had walked. "Something…isn't quite right with him!"

"Nonsense. He is just a very unique and talented young man."

"No! You don't get it old man! There is just…something odd about Higurashi! Yes he's different, but I just know he's hiding something!" he accused firmly, hate burning in his eyes.

Myoga's eyes narrowed. "Don't speak to me that way Mr. Onigumo. I will not tolerate such behavior at my school. Just because Mr. Souta may seem like a more gifted student, does not give you the right to act in such immature ways due to jealously."

"I am not jealous." He spoke dangerously slow, spitting out each word venomously.

"Be that as it may…" Myoga stated calmly, "But the last thing I want to hear about is a fight between you and Mr. Souta, or any of our students for that matter. Do I make myself clear?"

But Onigumo Naraku didn't bother answering. He looked downright frustrated with Myoga, his fists clutched together so tightly that they were becoming white. Before the principal could repeat himself, Onigumo was already walking away.

After a few steps, he turned around. "I'll show you. I'll prove to you and everyone else that I'm right."

He disappeared around the corner.

XxXxXx

She was doing it again.

And she knew it.

Staring at him, like he was some kind of god on earth.

She had grown quite used to it actually. At least she had become quite good at it, making sure he never saw her staring. At least, she hoped so… Call it, another successful action on her part, one of many in fact. She barely even listened to Ms. Fujimoto, preferring to stare at him instead. She couldn't help it. He was so…addicting.

Of course, she learned to accept this a few days ago, when she realized she was actually crushing on someone, which was something that hadn't happened in quite a while. And now that she had fully accepted and realized this, she wanted to satisfy this feeling. She wanted to get to know him even more. She had grown so attached to him; loving his unique sense of personality, his kindness, and his passion. His self confidence was so infectious, and his smile melted her heart. She loved how honest and true he could be with her. He was so inspiring and so…real, she couldn't help but fall for him.

She wanted to be his special girl.

But of course that was impossible. With all the girls around him, and his reputation to uphold. Plus, hadn't he made it clear that they were just friends? Still, she couldn't help but want. All her life, she had always told herself that if she wanted something, she would have to keep trying.

But how could she keep trying, when there was nothing left to do? It was like pounding on a brick wall with your bare hands, hoping that it would break. No matter how many times you hit it, it will never fall without some help. Without some other tactic to make it easier…

Tactic…

"Hey Kikyou!" A voice to her left called. She looked over.

"Keade?" She called out in to the night. It was pitch dark, and a little hard to see at first, but soon her little sister came out in to the light. She was carrying an armful of books, similar to Kikyou's current state. It was nearing close to midnight.

"Hey!" She greeted, jogging up to her sister. Once she had caught up, they began walking side by side back to the dorms. "What are you doing out so late?"

Kikyou yawned. "Just…getting some last minute study hours in."

"Really?" She checked her watch. "At this hour Kikyou? That isn't like you. Compared to me, your time management skills are top notch. Usually I'm the one studying last minute."

Kikyou shrugged. "I know. I suppose…I've just got a lot on my mind." She replied, her voice trailing off tiredly. Keade must have noticed. She leaned closer to her, most likely catching the dark circles under her eyes.

"Is everything okay?"

Kikyou smiled. "Everything is fine. Just a little bit of an overload is all…"

"Yeah but, you've never struggled like this before." She was right. When was the last time she had stayed up so late studying?

'_When was the last time you were crushing on a guy?' _The voice in Kikyou's head replied. She looked up at the sky dreamily, her thoughts momentarily drifting to the guy in mention.

"Kikyou?" Keade's voice snapped her out of her daze momentarily.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?"

Now Keade was starting to look concerned. "Kikyou…you're starting to worry me. Please tell me what's wrong. What is really on your mind? What's bothering you?"

Kikyou looked away. "Really Keade, its noth-"

Her words were suddenly cut off by a loud voice, not far off in front of them. The words were undistinguishable, but still enough to interest both girls. Without even thinking, the sisters slowly followed the sound until they saw some bleachers. They walked between them, until they laid eyes on their school's track field. In the dead center, they could see a fairly large group of boys.

"Come on boys! Pick up those lazy asses and get ready to run!" The old man with the megaphone shouted. A few of the boys were jolted awake by the sound. Slowly, but surely they began making their way to the starting point on the field.

"Is that…" Kikyou began, trying to distinguish some of the boys.

"The boy's kendo team." Keade finished for her. Kikyou felt as if her heart had just froze in her chest. Anxiously, she began searching out the one boy she had been thinking about all day.

"Are you looking for someone?" Keade asked suspiciously, noting the eagerness in Kikyou's eyes. She had even begun to lean forward on the railing in hopes of getting a better view.

"Uh…"

Keade gasped. "Is this the reason? Are you crushing on someone?" Kikyou couldn't tell whether Keade was disappointed or excited with her revelation. She sighed, and merely nodded, figuring that the truth was practically out already. Sometimes her sister was too smart for her own good…

Keade covered her mouth with her hands. Guess she was excited… "Oh my God. I can't believe it."

"Is it that hard to believe?" Kikyou questioned dryly, a light flush forming on her cheeks. Keade grinned.

"Of course! You've never shown any remote interest in a guy for such a long time! I thought you had sworn off men forever. Even mom and dad were getting a little worried, telling me I should do something!"

Kikyou smiled. It was true that Keade was usually the one who knew more about the guys, while she stuck to all the school studying. It wasn't that she wasn't able to get guys; she just never really tried. She had never really wanted to. That is…until now.

"So…Who's the lucky guy?" Keade asked eagerly.

Kikyou's eyes scanned the field for a few more moments before her eyes finally locked on him. He was talking to a fellow teammate of his as they prepared for their run. Both of them were on the end of the line, making it a bit easier to see them.

She pointed. "He's right there."

Keade squinted, catching a glimpse of the boys. "You mean Inuyasha Takahashi? Nice choice. Definitely a heart throb on the outside, but I hear his personality is a bit…unapproachable. Plus, his family has-"

"No!" Kikyou interjected. She pointed once more. "I was talking about Souta Higurashi."

Keade's mouth formed a small 'o' at the new development. "Souta huh? Well, I haven't heard much about him, except that he is somewhat of a ladies man, but he is pretty cute."

"Yeah…" Kikyou agreed dreamily, her eyes half lidded. But suddenly her eyes refocused as she recalled her earlier problem. "But he says we're just friends…"

"Just friends? You sure now?"

She nodded sadly.

Keade made a 'tsking' noise with her tongue. "Well that's a shame…"

"What should I do?" Kikyou asked immediately. Her sister knew so much more than her, and any advice she could offer would mean everything to Kikyou. If it gave her a chance with Souta, she was willing to try it.

"Well…" Keade began, a mysterious glint coming in to her eyes. "They say that in order for someone to appreciate something, they have to lose it first."

Kikyou blinked. "I don't follow…"

"It's simple. Souta just hasn't realized how much he cares for you. So in order to make him want you, you need to make him see what he has lost; make him see what he **could have **had with you."

"You mean…" Kikyou realized, catching on. "Pretend to like someone else?"

Keade gave her a 'thumbs up'. "Bingo! Make him jealous. Just start showing some serious interest in another guy and that should draw him in easily like a moth to a flame…"

"Pretend to like someone else…" Kikyou repeated, the information sinking in. Already she was starting to like the idea. The plan was so perfect and simple; absolutely flawless and ingenious. Why hadn't she thought of it earlier? This way, she could finally be with Souta the way she wanted to be.

"Got anyone in mind?" Keade asked, smiling devilishly.

Kikyou's eyes scoured the field once more. The boys were already running around the field, while the old man continued to shout obscene things at them. They looked half dead and tired, but thankfully they were slowing down making it easier for Kikyou to locate exactly who she wanted to find.

"Yes." She said, a smile coming to her lips as she observed the golden eyed individual.

XxXxXx

Hahaha! Yes. Fun fun fun! I know this chapter wasn't as great and fluffy as the last one, but I really needed to move on in the world outside of the Inu/Kag fluff. But don't worry! There is more to come! That is…fluff of course. But from where exactly? Dun dun dun!

I can't believe how far this story has come. Sometimes I go back and read what I wrote to remember things and get inspiration and I am shocked at what I read. It's like "Holy shit…I wrote that!"

Anyway, thank you so much for your reviews and support! I had about fifteen reviews for the last chapter which surprised me so much! It means the world to me! And those of you who have been sticking around since the beginning, thanks so much! I hope everyone is enjoying it! This story won't end for another…maybe seven or so more chapters. No more than twenty five total I'm estimating, but hey, you never know.


	17. You Can't Win them All

The next day for Kagome seemed to drag on even slower than before. With the double day practices, the midnight runs, and not to mention a little extra practice with Inuyasha in the morning, Kagome felt positively drained of all her energy. The Osaki Tournament was only one week away, and they had to be ready. It took all she could that day to stay awake in Family Psychology. .

Kagome glanced over her shoulder. Inuyasha was completely passed out on the desk, his head rested in his folded arms. It seemed that everyone was out of it today.

Speaking of which, even Kikyou had not shown up to class today which was a rarity for someone like her. Kagome couldn't help but feel slightly lonely at the absence of her seat partner. She had gotten so used to her being there all the time, that it felt…odd not having her here today. It also worried her. What if Kikyou was really sick? She had been fine a few days ago…

"Can anyone tell me how parental argumentation in front of a child can affect the child's mental state?" Ms. Fujimoto asked.

No one raised their hand, and Kagome had no doubt that if Kikyou was here, she would be the only one raising her hand. Ms. Fujimoto's eyes observed the entire class, a scowl coming to her face as she noticed the lack of students. It wasn't a significant amount, but then again, Kikyou practically counted as five people due to her excellence in the class.

"Anyone?" she repeated, her eyebrows narrowing. Silence. "Very well then. Mr. Higurashi?"

Kagome's head snapped up. "Yes?"

"Would you care to give your thoughts?"

"Uh…" She gulped, staring down at her blank paper. "Well…it's bad and uh… it can cause a mimicking of the behavior that they see?"

"Correct." Ms. Fujimoto praised, looking pleased. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be out of that one. "However, that is only one of the many effects of such a situation."

'_Oh crap…' _Kagome prayed that she didn't ask her to continue.

Ms. Fujimoto glanced at the clock. "I think that is enough for today. But," she began, seeing everyone beginning to pack up. "Your assignment is to write a four page research paper on how a child's development is impacted by the lack of, or negative actions of their parents. You can use any resources available including internet, articles, textbooks, and personal interviews, as long as they are relevant to the subject. It is due on Tuesday. Class dismissed."

Nobody dared to utter a word over the assignment, in fear of Ms. Fujimoto. But of course, the look on everyone's faces was the same. Sighing deeply over the workload, Kagome gathered her books up and walked over to Inuyasha's desk. She nudged him gently and he groaned.

"Go away…" he muttered. She pushed him again, a little harder, and this time he looked up with sleep filled eyes.

"Wha-?"

"Get up. Class is over." He looked around, as if just realizing where he was and what was happening. He too gathered his books and walked out of the classroom with her. As they walked back to their dorms, Miroku and Bankotsu suddenly appeared next to them.

"Hey, did you guys hear?" Bankotsu asked.

"About what?" Inuyasha blinked the grogginess out of his eyes.

"Renkotsu is off the team."

"What?" Inuyasha and Kagome exclaimed simultaneously. Miroku nodded.

"Apparently, Master Totosai was completely serious about the midnight runs. Renkotsu wasn't at the run last night and I saw him and Master Totosai talking this morning after the practice. I don't think I've ever seen Master Totosai look so…emotionless." Miroku replied seriously.

"Really?" Kagome said, surprised. It sounded completely unlike the master.

Bankotsu nodded. "He just said, 'Renkotsu, you're off the team.' And when he started complaining, Master Totosai just said that he did not show the commitment and dedication needed for the sport. Then he walked away. It was scary how calm he was about the whole thing."

Kagome remained silent. Even Inuyasha was speechless. Master Totosai was really taking the tournament seriously this year. It was a little frightening. Perhaps she was underestimating the ordeal of all this? Did she even know what she was getting in to?

Was she even ready for all this?

XxXxXx

That night after practice, Inuyasha and Kagome retired to their dorm rooms to rest. However Kagome, being the person she was, began her research immediately, scouring through textbooks and the internet. She had already informed Inuyasha of the report, but he chose to take the procrastinating route this time and was dozing off on the bed. She was almost through with the first chapter of the section when something interesting caught her eye.

_The parents of a child have a huge impact in the child's overall foundation. To a child, parents are often the first figure of a 'hero' that he or she looks up to. This is not to say that the child is limited to do only what his or her 'hero' does. Should a child pursue his own positive desires or dreams, a parent must be there to offer whatever guidance they can and in essence to help their child fulfill their goals. If a parent cannot learn to respect or support their child's wishes, then the child may find it difficult to respect themselves or others. They may distance themselves from their parents if their desire is that strong, or they may subdue such desires which could bring unhappiness._

Kagome immediately looked over to the sleeping figure on the bed, her eyes softening. She recalled Inuyasha and Lady Izayoi's previous conversation about his father and how unhappy they both had sounded. What had been their relationship before? What had caused it to become so…cold and distant? What sort of things had Inuyasha gone through? It was enough to make Kagome's heart clench to think of how Inuyasha must feel towards his father and what kind of demons in the past they had faced.

'_I know it's none of my business, but…' _She sighed. She wanted to know what had happened. She wanted to ease whatever pain he had. But of course, she couldn't do it without first knowing the cause…

Bravely, she crumbled a piece of paper in to a ball and threw it at him.

It hit him on the arm, but he just muttered something and rolled away from her. She tried again, this time landing a hit on his head. He brought his tired eyes to hers.

"What?" he asked roughly.

"I uh…need some help on the research paper."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

She bit her lip. "Well…Ms. Fujimoto said that we could do personal interviews, so I thought…"

"An interview?" She nodded. "Now?" Another nod. "Why me?"

Ah…good question. A question that would require a sensible answer.

"Well…it would help both of us. You could interview me if you want…" she replied quietly. Her life wasn't exactly all flowers and daises either…

"Fine." He grumbled, sitting upright on the bed. Kagome blinked, surprised that he had actually agreed so quickly. Perhaps he was just a big softy inside. She pulled out her pen and paper and sat down on her bed opposite of him.

She breathed, gathering her courage. "Okay…so, who would you say that you are closer to, your mother or father?"

"My mother." He replied almost instantly.

"Why?"

"My mother was always there for me when I was younger. My father was the businessman so he was always away doing important court cases and he didn't have room for a kid like me to tag along." He replied nonchalantly. But even though he tried to play it off casually, his words seemed to sting much more than he was letting on. Even while he spoke, he wasn't really looking at her, as if he was lost in his past.

"I see. So, I take it that your mother was sort of the 'hero' of your life?" Kagome inquired.

He scoffed. "Not really. She was my mother; someone who took care of me, not someone I wanted to be like."

"So…your father was…?"

"Yeah…" he laughed humorlessly. "When I was really young, I looked up to my father. All those times, when he would leave for business, my mother would tell me that he was saving the world or something, which in some cases, he was."

Kagome smiled. "Did you want to be just like him?"

"I guess so." He suddenly looked away. "I was so stupid…"

Silence stretched on with Inuyasha lost in thought and Kagome just staring at him. She had never met such a complex individual quite like himself. So many secrets, so many problems he always seemed to have. Was his childhood really where it all began?

"Inuyasha…" she whispered. "What happened between you and your father?"

It was a bold question, even she knew that.

He sighed heavily. "I don't want to talk about it…"

"Sometimes it's better to talk about it. You lessen the burden that way…"

"Why would I want to give someone else my burden? Giving someone else my problem will only harm them unnecessarily. It's my problem and I should be able to deal with it on my own." He had spoken so quietly that Kagome barely heard his words. It was as if he was trying to hide his words. It was as if he was afraid; afraid of appearing weak.

"Sometimes, the only way you can overcome something, is if you let others help you."

"I don't need any help." He replied stubbornly. She sighed.

"If you say so. But will you at least tell me what happened?" she urged gently. He finally looked at her, his golden eyes shining in the dim light of the lamp. Just like when she had first seen him, she was once again transfixed by his stare.

He began. "I got really in to kendo when I was in middle school. I went to all the practices, games, clubs, and events, just about everything. My dad was somewhat supportive of it all. He went to a few of my games, provided me with all the money I needed; he pretty much did just enough for the press and his reputation."

Kagome remember something. "Your dad gave you the Tetsusaiga."

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah…he gave it to me as a middle school graduation present." He looked up at the ceiling. "It was probably the one moment where I felt like my dad actually cared."

The sadness in his voice was unmistakable, but Kagome didn't speak. She only had eyes for him. He continued.

"Anyway, it was during high school that it got really rough. I was on the kendo team, and it was basically my top priority. My mom was still supportive, but my dad suddenly stopped. During my sophomore year, he didn't even want to hear about kendo or anything related to it. It was like he hated it."

Kagome listened intently. Her father had loved kendo as well, but her mother had never enjoyed it.

"During one of the summers, my dad had me attend work with him and learn the business. It cut in to my kendo schedule, but he didn't seem to care. He had me learn all I could about the company, and constantly told me how I was going to carry on as a lawyer. At that point, I went along with it because I didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life. I had to do so much that I had to quit kendo during my junior year."

Kagome winced. She couldn't imagine being forced to do something like that. "Did you enjoy your father's work?" Kagome asked. He shook his head.

"No. I didn't like it at all." He said bitterly. "I even told him that I didn't want any part of his business, but he kept pushing me, ignoring my wishes. I was tired of all the studying. So I rejoined the kendo team in my senior year."

Kagome gasped. "Did your father know?"

"He found out later on. It was probably the angriest I had ever seen him." He ran a hand through his hair tiredly.

"How did he find out?"

"Well…during the middle of my senior year, I had a huge tournament around the same time as one of our major court cases. I was going to play in the tournament, but my dad was also expecting me to gather information and defend my client." He clenched his fist. "I had to make a decision, and I chose kendo."

"I won the tournament, and was even offered a possible scholarship. But…" he sighed. "Because I had spent the weekend in the tournament, I had absolutely no knowledge on my case. I basically went in there with nothing. And also, my opponent had been Onigumo Naraku, the son of the co-owner of our company. Bastard made sure that everyone knew how unprepared I was. How bad I was, even though I was a Takahashi. He crushed me, purposely. I lost the case." He said miserably. His eyes saddened, and so did Kagome's.

"Inuyasha…"

"My father was humiliated, and it was all over the news. He later found out the reason why I had been so unprepared when the Shikon State called about the scholarship and the kendo program. He was furious."

Kagome couldn't believe it. She couldn't begin to imagine all the Takahashi's went through because of the press. No privacy, a reputation to uphold, and no true freedom.

"I apologized to him, but he didn't forgive me. He didn't speak to me for a long time. I eventually told him that I was planning on attending Shikon State University. All he said to me was that I better find my own way to get there financially because he wasn't going to provide me with anything. I didn't say anything. I had the scholarship, so it didn't matter to me." He looked at her, smiling briefly. "Do you remember the chest that was in my closet?"

Kagome nodded.

"One day, when I was out for kendo practice, my father went in to my room and found the letter from the scholarship and the information papers about the kendo programs. He called them up himself and told them that I wouldn't need the scholarship. They asked if I was going to be in the kendo program and he said no. He also canceled my credit cards and blocked my account. He basically left me with nothing. I found out, just after graduation. I left the next day. I stayed with Miroku."

He sighed tiredly rubbing his eyes. "Because my father had made that call, I had to apply for so many student loans, get a summer job and I missed the entire summer kendo program. I had to try out like all the other regulars when school started."

Kagome cut it. "Wait, so how are you paying off those loans?"

"I recently got in to my savings account thanks to my mother. Plus, I've won a lot of tournament prizes." He grinned. "Do you know how much they pay when you beat one of the reigning champs?"

Kagome giggled. "I wouldn't know."

"You should try it."

She laughed once more. All these things Inuyasha had been through, and for him to still be able to smile and laugh; it was amazing to Kagome. She beamed brightly for him, gazing at him fondly. He was so strong.

She must've been looking at him too fondly, for he gave her a weird look. "Uh…yeah…that's about it. I've almost paid off all of my loans. This Osaki Tournament should do it." He looked over at her hands. "Did you get all those notes?"

She blinked out of her gaze and glanced down at her paper. It was completely blank. She quickly covered it up. "Uh…yeah. I got enough."

"Good. Cause I wasn't about to say anymore." He said gruffly. She blushed.

"Thank you Inuyasha." She said happily.

"For what?"

"For sharing. Don't you feel less weighed down now?" She teased.

"Keh. I never said that I was weighed down." He barked. Kagome rolled her eyes. Typical Inuyasha…

She glanced at the clock. It was 11:45. "We need to get going. Mile run is going to start soon."

They both changed quickly and headed down for the field.

And Kagome couldn't keep that smile off her face.

XxXxXx

Friday's were usually the best day out of the week for Kagome. Rest, relaxation, and no classes what so ever. Well, that was before she was in kendo.

Kagome pressed the number five button on the treadmill, making the platform go even faster. She pushed her muscles and legs harder, running faster to keep up; her feet pounding hard on the rotating belt. After the morning practice and lunch, she figured she could squeeze in a short run session to get in better shape. She had felt so out of breath last night, and just knew she could get better. She had to push herself if she was going to keep up. The gym had been fairly deserted when she arrived. After all, who went in on a Friday?

She had been running hard for about ten minutes when someone called her name.

"Souta?" She turned her head. It was Inuyasha. "There you are. What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like?" she panted in between breaths. "I need to get more in shape for the tournament."

"Souta, you came in third place last night during the run." He said dryly.

"I know…" she pressed the number two button and slowed down to a walk. "I just want to be faster."

"The only people you need to beat are Miroku and I. And the only reason Miroku ran faster than me was because he was supposed to meet a girl after the run." He got on the treadmill next to Souta.

"Even better. Now I just need to beat you." Kagome remarked coolly.

"You make it sound like it will be easy."

"What makes you think it won't?" she argued playfully. She pressed the number six button this time, the platform immediately speeding up with her following in stride.

"Alright then." He replied, accepting her unspoken challenge. He pressed the number eight button and shot her a look. The cockiness in his eyes was unmistakable. She laughed, but kept running. They ran like that, for another ten minutes or so, neither of them letting up.

Inuyasha spoke. "Hey Souta. I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"I was…wondering, how Kagome is doing?" he asked nervously.

Kagome's head snapped to meet Inuyasha's eyes, but he wasn't looking at her. He was asking…how she was? For a moment, Kagome was at a loss for words. Why was he asking this? _'Could he really…?' _she dared to wonder; dared to hope. She took a deep breath, willing herself to stay calm. She couldn't jump to conclusions.

"She's doing okay. Why do you ask?"

He blushed. "Well…I was thinking…and I was wondering if maybe, she'd like to go out to dinner or something."

Kagome could've nearly died of happiness at that moment. Inuyasha wanted…to go out with her? Tonight! With her! The feeling in the pit of her stomach seemed to intensify with his words. She probably would have done a crazy dance or something if Inuyasha were not sitting right there. She was just…so thrilled.

"Really now?" she asked, trying her best to keep the overwhelming excitement out of her voice.

He nodded. "Well yeah. I just thought…maybe we could check out that new restaurant place. It's called Miuchi. I hear it's even got live music and dancing. It sounded kind of fun."

"Music and dancing? Are you trying to go clubbing with my sister?"

His eyes went wide. "What?! No!" he cried frantically. "No of course not! It's…not like that. The place is really casual and nice."

Kagome laughed. His reaction had been priceless…and so cute.

"So…" he continued, "is she free tonight?"

Kagome scoffed inwardly. _'Am I free tonight? Hell yes I am.'_

"I'm pretty sure she's not doing anything tonight. I'll tell her to call you. But I know she would love to go." Kagome insisted. He smiled at her, and time seemed to stop once again.

"Souta Higurashi! There you are!" Both boys looked behind them to see Master Totosai approaching them. He was grinning widely. "I have been looking for you."

They both jumped off their respective treadmills. "Something you need Master Totosai?" Kagome asked.

He looked right at her, looking more pleased than ever. "Why yes Souta. I do need something. Or someone for that matter."

Kagome just felt confused. Then, from behind his back, Master Totosai produced a long yellow fabric. It was the symbol for the 'A' team members. They wore it around their waists during matches.

"I have seen all the dedication and extra hard work you have put in. So you will be on the 'A' team for the Osaki Tournament." He declared proudly.

Kagome froze.

Her body was literally frozen in time.

"Really?" she said, almost unable to believe it.

The master nodded. "Of course."

She still couldn't believe it. This was what she had worked for. This was…everything for her. Now she could play with the best of the best. Now she could show her true skill. She could have a chance to beat Kouga. She would be with Inuyasha… _'Oh my God…thank you.'_

"Souta?" Oh right, she still hadn't given an answer.

"Oh! Yes! Absolutely! Thank you!" she cried happily.

Master Totosai handed her the band. She held back the incredible urge to hug him. He gave her one hard pat on the back before walking away. Kagome grasped the material in her hand tenderly. She couldn't believe it. She looked at Inuyasha who was shock, but the look in his eyes was far from sad.

"Great job…" he said to her, smirking widely. Kagome couldn't hold it back any longer.

She hugged him.

He obviously hadn't expected such a gesture. He stumbled a few steps back, before patting her a few times on the back. He then tried to move away from her, but she held him tight. She hadn't held him like this since the carnival. She missed it.

"Uh…Souta…" he muttered, clearing his throat awkwardly. His voice brought her back to reality and she stepped back, the smile still there.

"Thank you…Inuyasha." She replied, her eyes shining.

He shrugged. "Hey, I didn't get you on to the 'A' team."

"But you helped."

He nodded. "In a way. But I didn't do everything."

She grinned at him, accepting his words for the moment. She grasped the yellow band in her hand, admiring the brilliance of it. It was just so hard to believe. She had finally made it to the 'A' team; everything she had worked for had fallen in to place perfectly. And tonight, she was going on a date with Inuyasha. She sighed happily.

This was honestly the best day of her life.

"Hey Inuyasha!"

Kagome looked up toward the voice. _'What is Kikyou doing here?'_

Her eyes weren't deceiving her. Kikyou was indeed here, with a brilliant smile on her face. She was walking toward them, but something seemed different. She looked happy; actually more than happy, almost to the point where it was unlike her. _'She's not even looking at me at all. She didn't even call me before. It's like she's trying to ignore me. She's looking at-'_

Kagome gasped. Her head darted back and forth between Inuyasha and Kikyou. She was gazing at him fondly, and he appeared too stunned to say anything. But the look in his eyes was clear. He only had eyes for Kikyou at the moment. He gulped nervously and Kagome frowned.

"K-Kikyou?" he called. Kagome hated the way his voice trembled.

Kikyou came next to Inuyasha, leaning on his treadmill. Kagome didn't miss the way her eyes seemed to travel through his whole body; admiring him from head to toe. Inuyasha seemed to notice it as well and flushed deeply. Kikyou smirked and Kagome gagged.

'_What…what is she doing?!'_ Since when did Kikyou ever show any interest in Inuyasha? _'Could it be?' _Kagome feared, _'Could she really be taking my advice?!'_

"Hey Inuyasha…" Kikyou purred, leaning forward. "I'm glad I ran in to you here …"

"Kikyou?" Apparently all Inuyasha was able to say was her name. _'Say something! Tell her to go away…' _Kagome pouted.

"Are you working out?" Kikyou asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Uh…yeah." He said with a shakey voice. He seemed completely transfixed by her smile. She leaned closer and he unconsciously leaned in as well, his eyes becoming half lidded.

She peered at the treadmill indicator. "Running at a level eight? Wow…very impressive."

He laughed nervously. "Thanks…"

Kagome cleared her throat, and tapped him on the shoulder. "Inuyasha?" she called, hoping to bring him back to her. He didn't answer, and just kept looking at Kikyou. Kagome growled. "Inuyasha?!"

Still no answer.

"Inuyasha? You're still on for tonight right?" Kagome stressed.

"Yeah…yeah sure whatever…" he replied aimlessly. Without breaking eye contact with Kikyou, he quickly shoved Kagome out of the way. She stumbled back a few steps, shocked and hurt over his actions. She stared at his back, completely frustrated. But still he paid her no mind.

"What's your mile time?" Kikyou asked.

"About six minutes."

She smiled coyly. "Six minutes huh? Amazing…" she whispered. He smiled. "I can run pretty fast too. Do you think you're fast enough to catch me?"

'_Oh my God…she's flirting with him.' _Kagome clenched her fists. True she had no claim over him, but she could not help but feel an intense wave of jealously. That look in Inuyasha's eyes for Kikyou; the way he was practically eating out of her hands. It made her feel sick inside. It wasn't fair!

Thinking fast, Kagome walked out of the gym and pulled out her cell phone. She peered in through the windows of the gym, still able to see them clearly. They were still talking, or more like, Kikyou was still flirting with Inuyasha.

Rapidly, Kagome began dialing Inuyasha's cell number. She heard it ring a few times, before he finally answered. "Yeah…" he sounded drunk.

"Hey Inuyasha!" Kagome replied in her regular voice. "It's Kagome. Souta told me to call you?"

"Huh…what?" he replied.

"You wanted to go to dinner tonight? At Miuchi? I'd love to go with you. What time?" she said cheerfully, hoping to get his attention. He didn't answer her. She looked through the window. Apparently Kikyou was now having a fascination with his arms.

"You're so strong Inuyasha…" she cooed, loud enough for Kagome to hear through the phone. Kagome eye brows narrowed dangerously, her grip on the phone tightening. _'How dare she...'_

"Yeah…" Inuyasha slurred, his eyes still gazed over. Kagome just hoped he was talking to her and not Kikyou.

"Is there anything you can't do?" Kikyou asked curiously, grasping a lock of his hair between her fingers. Her other hand traveled up from his arms to his neck. Kagome swore savagely, cursing every god she knew.

"Inuyasha?!" Kagome called.

"What?" he replied confused, staring at his phone as if just realizing it was on. Kagome smacked her forehead angrily. Well, at least he had taken his eyes off of Kikyou for a second.

"Inuyasha?" she repeated, a little more urgently this time. She was losing him.

"Yeah…uh…can I call you back? I'm busy…" he shut his phone, redirecting his attention to Kikyou. Kagome growled loudly, staring at him furiously. Her eyes flashed briefly in a rage of jealously and distaste. _'There is no way I am losing my date with him to her…'_

Kagome reentered the gym and stood behind the two of them once more. They didn't seem to notice her. Shocker…

"So Inuyasha…I was thinking…" Kikyou began slowly.

"Uh huh…" he said hazily. At that moment, Kagome took her chance. Coming directly behind Inuyasha, she casually bumped in to him. Hard. He stumbled forward, steadying himself against Kikyou before turning angry eyes toward her.

"Oops…sorry about that." Kagome said innocently. Was it her, or did Kikyou just smile in her direction?

"Souta…" Inuyasha warned.

"It's fine…" Kikyou interjected, grabbing Inuyasha's face and forcing him to look at her. Kagome nearly popped a blood vessel. "Are you doing anything tonight?"

Kagome cut in immediately. "Yes he is. He's got some big…really big and important plans tonight. Right Inuyasha?" she urged sternly, her teeth already grinding on edge. He barely registered her words.

"Plans? Important? I don't have anything…" he mumbled, gazing fondly at Kikyou. She smiled.

"Then let's have dinner tonight. That new place? Miuchi? Meet there at eight?" He nodded numbly and she winked at him. "Perfect…"

She finally stepped away from Inuyasha, but not before pecking him lightly on the cheek. He blushed madly and she giggled.

Finally, and for the first time, Kikyou looked at her. "Bye Souta…" she said and walked away. Kagome didn't like that look in her eyes. Hell, Kagome didn't really like anything about Kikyou at that moment. She had never been so happy to see her leave the gym.

She growled in frustration and looked at Inuyasha. He had not taken his eyes off the exit since Kikyou had left. "Inuyasha?"

He finally looked at her.

His eyes glowed with happiness and his smile was wider than ever.

Oh yes…he was happy now.

Completely thrilled probably.

And Kagome could not help but feel so sick.

XxXxXx

It only took Kagome about five seconds to hesitate before running after Kikyou.

"Hey Kikyou!"

Kikyou had just been making her way back to the dorm rooms. She turned around. "Oh hello Souta."

"Could I talk to you for a second?"

"Of course." Kikyou replied smoothly. Kagome could've sworn she looked extremely pleased. Once she had caught up to Kikyou, they both took a seat on the nearest bench.

"It's about Inuyasha…"

Kikyou's eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh Souta. You were right all along! Inuyasha really is a great guy…"

Kagome frowned. "You don't even know him."

"Well that's what the date is for."

"It is…not a date." she pointed out stiffly.

Kikyou giggled. "Oh Souta. Of course it is!" She stretched out her arms and sighed heavily. "I want to thank you Souta. You were right all along! I am so glad I took your advice."

Kagome coughed. "Well…you know Kikyou. I've been thinking. And…I really don't think you and Inuyasha are a good match after all." She stated, as sincerely as she could.

"Oh nonsense Souta. We are perfect for each other! How could I possibly let such a cute thing like him go by!? It's destiny."

Kagome growled dangerously. Inuyasha was certainly not a thing… and screw destiny.

"I saw how you were treating him in there, like he was your toy or something. How could you do that to him?! He's a person Kikyou!" she cried out.

For her to use Inuyasha and play with him like that, it angered Kagome to no end. It wasn't just jealously; she didn't want Kikyou to hurt him. And Kagome would first be dammed to hell before she let anything like that happen. Kikyou had been acting very unlike herself, and she wasn't about to believe in this "new" Kikyou so easily. She just knew Kikyou wasn't flirting with Inuyasha because she liked him.

No…there was something more to it, but Kagome just couldn't figure it out.

"I'm a person too, Souta. And people have feelings for others. I have feelings for Inuyasha." She smiled mischievously. Kagome decided right then and there that she really hated that smile "You…don't have a problem with that, do you?"

Of course she did, but she couldn't let Kikyou know that. "No. It's fine." She finally muttered bitterly.

"Alright then…" Kikyou replied, "But…if you're worried so much about Inuyasha, then why don't you come along?"

"What!?"

"We could double date." She looked at someone behind Kagome. "Hey Sango!"

Sango, who had been walking alone to her dorms, stopped and walked over. "Hey. What is it?"

"Are you busy tonight?" Kikyou asked.

Sango blushed, suddenly finding the ground interesting. "Well…not really…but-"

"Perfect!" Kikyou cheered, cutting her off. "You and Souta can come and double date with me and Inuyasha. It's at Miuchi. See you there at eight!"

And before Kagome could even utter a word, Kikyou was already walking off.

"Wait Kikyou!" Sango cried, but Kikyou ignored her and kept walking. Sango sighed, rubbing her tired eyes. "I don't need this right now…"

Kagome looked at her. She couldn't help but feel sorry for what had just happened. If she hadn't ran after Kikyou… "If you have plans Sango, you don't have to come."

Sango breathed slowly. "It's fine. He'll just have to understand."

'_He?' _Kagome thought, but chose not to question it.

"I'm sorry about all this. I didn't mean to…" Kagome began, her voice trailing off.

Sango waved her off, managing a smile. "I understand. Don't worry about it. Pick me up at 7:45. See you later Souta."

She walked off as well, leaving Kagome alone with her thoughts.

XxXxXx

In the movie "She's the Man", after Duke (Inuyasha) is asked out to dinner by Olivia (Kikyou), he does this crazy happy dance. It is hilarious. I tried so hard, and so many times to put that in, but…it was just so un-Inuyasha-like. I'm sorry if I disappointed anyone. The next chapter will make it up to you guys!

I hope you have enjoyed! Thank you all for your wonderful reviews!

Next chapter? The double date and… Inu/Kag fluff?

Why do I have the feeling that I just caused a wave of hate to flow to Kikyou?


	18. You and Me

A/N: Slight error in previous chapter. They are meeting at the restaurant at eight. I had Sango tell Kagome to pick her up at 6:45. I meant 7:45. I'll make the change as soon as I can.

XxXxXx

She had considered it.

To go or not to go…that was always the question, wasn't it? A part of her wanted to go, just to keep an eye on him; make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Okay…so maybe she just wanted to make sure he didn't do **anything **with Kikyou. The other part of her, the larger part, didn't want to go at all. Seeing him with Kikyou may just crush her hope, her chance to be with him. She didn't want to watch it. Hell, she was already having a hard time accepting it. It wasn't fair.

But…then again, she did want his happiness.

But what about hers?

To go, or not to go?

She arrived promptly at 7:45 in front of Sango's dorm. Even though she was on the male side of this date, she still didn't want to be late. She probably would have been late if she hadn't cut her little inner debate short. She knocked a few times, before Sango opened the door. Thankfully, she was dressed nice, but casual, just as Kagome was. She smiled when she saw her.

"Hey Souta."

"Hey Sango, ready to go?" She nodded, and closed the door behind her. They both walked together down the steps of the dorm hall and out on to the campus. There was a full moon in the sky, providing them with plenty of light and a beautiful glow. A comfortable silence formed between them.

"Thanks again Sango…for coming with me."

"It's no problem. I understand how Kikyou can be when she sets her mind to something." Sango replied amusingly. Kagome laughed. She would try to enjoy this evening, the best she would. Or…at least endure the evening the best she could. She knew what could happen, and she had to prepare herself for it.

After a few more minutes, they arrived in the parking lot.

"Where's your car?" Sango asked, looking around.

"I don't have a car. I thought we were taking yo-" She stopped, eyes widening. Frantically, she looked toward Sango who had the same look as her. The truth was slowly dawning on both of them. Kagome gulped.

"Sango?"

"Yes Souta?"

"You don't have a car do you?"

She hesitated. "No…I don't."

"Shit…"

At that moment, Kagome realized why she had been born a girl.

XxXxXx

Inuyasha wrung his hands nervously, to calm himself. After riding his motorcycle to the restaurant, his palms had suddenly become sweaty and he couldn't seem to lower his rapidly beating heart. Kikyou had been there once he had arrived, looking as stunning as ever, and waiting for him. He grinned inwardly. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

'_I guess Souta's advice really did help…' _

As they sat at their table, Kikyou had explained to him that Souta and his date would be joining them. At first, he had been angered; this was their moment. A moment alone with Kikyou, getting to know her, just her. But then again, Souta would probably be able to help him.

He stared at the entrance once more, hoping to see his roommate walking in, date in arm. But alas, it was devoid of 'Souta' once again. Seriously, where was he?! He was already fifteen minutes late!

The reason he may have wanted Souta's presence so badly was probably because of this overwhelming and uncomfortable silence between him and Kikyou. She had barely spoken any words to him, other than about Souta, and it was starting to make Inuyasha nervous. He knew he should say something…anything, to grasp her attention and get that "flow" going.

He looked over at Kikyou, watching as her eyes, darted from the door to her water glass. She seemed uncomfortable next to him as well, and that confused him more than ever. Where was this silent Kikyou coming from? Where was the Kikyou from the gym, who seemed so…in to him? That was the Kikyou he had come for. That was the Kikyou he wanted to be with. The connection he had felt before seemed to have vanished instantly.

He closed his eyes painfully, putting his head in his two hands. This whole date so far had been…so different that what he had wanted. His date with Kikyou wasn't supposed to be this…awkward, or tense. It was supposed to be fun, exciting; natural and comfortable, but at the same time engaging, both physically and emotionally.

'_It should be like when I was with Kago-'_

"Hey guys!"

The sight of Souta coming through those doors allowed him to breath normally for about five seconds. Even Kikyou seemed extremely happy to have him here.

"Souta…" He called out, his voice coated in thankfulness. "You're here. With…Sango?" This time, the sight of her was enough to make Inuyasha tense. At least she wasn't glaring at him.

"Yeah…" Souta replied tiredly. They both slid in to the booth seat across from them. "Sorry we're late."

Kikyou smiled. "Oh it's fine. What happened?"

"We had to walk…" Sango explained sheepishly.

"You walked?"

"Yeah. Neither of us had a car…it was only a few blocks though…"

"Well…still, I am so glad you both could make it." Kikyou said sweetly, folding her arms in her lap. Inuyasha nodded, before locking eyes with Souta who cocked an eye brow in his direction. Souta must have noticed the silence between him and Kikyou as he had walked in.

'Help me.' Inuyasha mouthed to Souta. For once, Souta actually looked worried.

A few seconds ticked by, the entire table in complete silence. _'Someone…say something…'_

Kikyou finally spoke.

"So…um…before you guys came here, I was just talking to Inuyasha about how great of a place this was…" She commented, scooting closer to him.

"You were?" he asked, completely lost. Did he miss something? Her hand reached under the table, touching his fingers gently. He jolted under her touch, but didn't move away. He felt confused. So now the Kikyou from before was back?

"Of course…don't you remember?" she replied sweetly, batting her eyelashes. "This place is just…perfect."

Sango looked around, oblivious to their change in proximity. "It is very nice."

"It's alright…" Souta noted, his arms crossed. '_Is he glaring at her?'_

If possible, Kikyou leaned even closer to him, wrapping her arms around his. "It is a great place. And it's even better when someone special is with you…" she purred slowly, her eyes locking with his. He felt himself blush at the intensity in her gaze.

Souta coughed loudly. "I think that's a matter of opinion…"

She rubbed his arms in a teasing motion. "True. But I find that I enjoy myself the best when I'm with a **real** man…" she looked toward Sango. "It's hard to find a **real **man nowadays, isn't it Sango?"

Sango suddenly looked uncomfortable. "I guess…depends on your definition of what a real man is…"

"Well, I think I've found my definition…" Kikyou cooed. The sensation of Kikyou's lips on his neck was something he hadn't been expecting. He jumped in surprise, his knee banging on the table, strong enough to rattle the glasses and silverware.

"Ow…shit…" he cried, rubbing his knee.

"Are you okay?" Souta asked urgently.

"Fine…" he grumbled out, trying to brush it off.

Kikyou giggled. "Here…let me make it better…" Her lips once again returned to his neck, sending shivers down his spine in an almost…awkward way. They left butterfly kisses down his neck and slowly worked their way up to his jaw. He felt his face heat up madly.

"Inuyasha…" Kikyou whispered soothingly in to his ear, so low that only he could hear. Her hands grasped his face and gently turned it towards hers. Her eyes were filled with an overwhelming emotion, making him feel nervous. She was willing, so why was he so hesitant? Why was he not answering her? Isn't this what he wanted?

He gulped fearfully, but she silenced it with her lips on his.

Her lips were soft and inviting, working against his in such a bold way. He felt her hand move, to come behind his neck, pulling him forward. Her intensity and strength shocked him to the very core, making him feel weak in front of her. There was no doubt in his mind that she was an amazing kisser; she clearly knew what she was doing.

But something didn't feel right.

Her lips, although soft and inviting, felt cold against his; her instance felt forced and overpowering. He didn't feel himself relaxing against her, but instead bracing himself, his hand coming to grasp at the leather edge of the seats. It didn't feel complete…there was so much passion in her movements, but there was something missing. Something he was missing…

She grumbled low in her throat, obviously disliking his lack of return. He pressed his lips to hers immediately, hoping to quell his earlier fears and hesitancy. Perhaps he was being paranoid; here he was, kissing someone he had wanted to kiss since forever, and he was being hesitant? Ridiculous.

But even as he continued to kiss her, that nagging feeling in the back of his mind didn't completely disappear. Something wasn't right. He just hoped that kissing her would make it right…

XxXxXx

Every single bone in her body felt as if it were going to crumble and break. She felt sick, to the point where every breath she took was suffocating her. Her body cried out in despair, and rage, all at once, wanting her to make a move, to do something. But her strength seemed to have disappeared, along with her hope.

Did he really expect her to just sit here and watch this?

Granted that she was 'Souta' at the moment, and he had not idea of her true affections, but still, it was extremely awkward watching them make out. She didn't think she could bear to watch it much longer. It hurt her too much. Even Sango didn't look very relaxed. She was squirming uncomfortably in her chair, trying to avoid staring at the happy couple across from her.

'_No…they are __**not **__a couple…' _Kagome denied stubbornly. But as she stared at them, her statement seemed to be dimming each second. Both combatants looked to be enjoying themselves immensely; Inuyasha especially, considering this was what he had always wanted. She just wished she would have accepted this fact earlier. At least she could've avoided much more heartbreak.

When another growl erupted from Inuyasha's throat, she knew she couldn't take it anymore. Another deep crack chiseled in to her heart. It was taking everything she had to hold back the tears in her eyes. She stood up, alerting her friends. Even the 'couple' had stopped their little exercise and was staring at her confusingly. "Alright…you know what? This has been great and all…but I have to go…" She muttered.

Inuyasha wiped his mouth and she cringed. "Wait. Where are you going?"

"I have to go…lots of studying to do." She looked at Sango, feeling the most guilt for her. "I'm sorry… bye guys."

She walked out, as quickly as she could, wanting nothing more than to go home and cry. The cold air brushed against her skin and she shivered, wishing that there was a warm body she could hold on to. She chuckled humorlessly at her thoughts. _'God, I really am pathetic…' _She had only been about four steps away from the restaurant when something caught her eye.

There, across the street was a small little department store.

And…in the window was the cutest red dress she had ever seen.

Her eyes widened, and a smile came to her lips for the first time that evening. Oh yes she had a plan. It was simple, yet ingenious and would take some boldness, but this time, Kagome knew what she was getting in to. It had been so foolish of her to give up so easily before. Of course there were no guarantees for what she was about to do, but at least she could even the playing field.

She glanced around, making sure, no one was looking. Once satisfied, she pulled off her wig, and ran across the street.

XxXxXx

Why was Souta off in such a hurry? He knew that he couldn't possibly have that much work. He was way more responsible than that.

An unusual silence fell upon the group after his abrupt departure. Kikyou seemed more subdued and saddened, and Sango was wringing her fingers shyly. And he couldn't help but stare at the door, hoping that Souta would change his mind and come back. After a few minutes of silence, he figured that Souta probably wasn't going to rejoin them. He tried to lean toward Kikyou and continue what they had been doing, but she moved away from him. He blinked in surprise.

"Kikyou?"

She sighed, rubbing her temples with her fingers. He tried again, but she still moved away. Why was she being withdrawn again? Surely he hadn't done something wrong.

He called her name once more, and she stood up. "Uh…I have to go too…"

His eyes widened in shock. "What?!" he nearly yelled.

She stared at him, in almost a sympathetic way. "I'm sorry. Something's come up and I need to hurry back. This was fun…we should do it again some time…" she muttered.

He couldn't believe it. She was actually leaving him? Now?! "Wait, Kikyou!" He called out as she made her way to the door. But she only smiled at him briefly before walking out. _'This can't be happening…'_

He looked over at Sango who was also gathering her things. She paused as if she had been caught doing something horrible. "You're…leaving me too, aren't you?" he said miserably.

She smiled at him, for the first time. "I'm sorry Inuyasha…I'm sorry for a lot of things…I'll see you at school." Giving him a wave, she walked out, leaving him completely alone at his table. Through the window, he watched her get a ride from Kikyou.

'_Great…'_ He groaned, putting his face in his folded arms. His night had officially gone from great, to downright bad within five minutes. How could this happen? Everything had been going okay…mostly due to the kissing, but now? How did he end up, all alone in a restaurant? He had never felt more pathetic in his life…

'_I can't do anything right…'_

He felt a tap on his shoulder.

Frustrated, he looked up, his temper already on edge. "What?!" he cried roughly, but then gulped at seeing who it was.

"K-Kagome?"

She smiled. "Hey Inuyasha…"

He couldn't believe it. She was here. "What are you doing here?"

She blushed shyly. "Well…I was hoping to see you…can I sit with you?"

He felt his face heat up. She wanted to sit…with him? Maybe there was a God out there. He stared at her, a smile coming to his face. She looked absolutely stunning. Her red halter top dress hugged her every curve and fell just past her knees. Her eyes sparkled, just as he remembered, and were framed by her free flowing hair.

She gazed at him curiously, and he realized he hadn't answered her. Hopefully, she hadn't caught him staring.

He gestured to the seat across from him. "Uh…yeah of course. Sit down. " She nodded, sliding in to the seat across from him. She beamed at him, and he felt himself relax instantly.

"How are you?"

He shrugged. "Fine I guess. Are you doing okay?"

She twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "I'm…better…"

Better? He had no idea what to read in to that statement. Had she been better all day? Better a few minutes ago? Better now that she was here? He really hoped it was the latter.

She suddenly leaned across the table, her hand touching his face. "I'm glad to see you're okay. I was worried…after the fight and all…"

He smirked. "Keh. I'm alright. Kouga is nothing I need to worry about…"

"You're right. He is nothing to worry about…" she replied with a laugh. She dropped her hand and something inside him saddened. He ignored it, preferring to focus on her instead. His eyes locked with hers and she smiled. She picked up her menu.

"I've never been here before."

"Neither have I, but I heard it's good."

XxXxXx

"If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why."

Inuyasha bit in to his bread roll. "Super strength."

"Why?"

"Keh. Why not? Being able to lift just about anything? Who wouldn't want that?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. Carefully, she dug her fork in to her pasta. "Strength isn't everything."

He shot her a pointed look. "Really now? And what power would you want? Ability to bring world peace to everyone?"

She made a move to smack him from across the table, but he moved out of the way. Damn kendo reflexes… "For your information, I would like the power to teleport wherever I want to. Places where not even you and your super strength could reach me." She teased. He smirked, and swallowed his bread in one gulp.

"Alright, fine then. I surrender." She grinned. "It's my turn, and speaking of you and your teleporting wishes, where is one place that you have never been to, but have always wanted to go?"

"The beach." Kagome replied softly. She had always wanted to go to a beach; any beach, to feel the waves crash upon her feet, the salty breeze in her hair, and maybe watch the sun rise and set. It had always been one of her childish wishes.

He looked surprised. "Really? Just the beach? Not Europe, Alaska, or somewhere like that?"

She nodded. "I know from here, the beach is a little far, but not impossible to get to. I've just never had the chance to go." Her voice was sad, causing a silence to form between them.

He didn't reply, but instead merely stared at her, as if soaking her words in. His eyes were unreadable, but shining in such a way that she had never seen before. It made her feel special. It made her feel happy. He had made her feel happy this whole night, just being here with her. Time had passed so fleetingly, but none of that seemed to matter.

They finished their dinner, with their tirade of questions still continuing. They had most likely passed the twenty mark, but neither of them seemed to care. Just as Kagome finished answering one of Inuyasha's questions, soft music began playing from the band. The song was slow and sweet, filling the restaurant with a relaxing vibration.

Kagome smiled brightly. "Do you like to dance?"

Inuyasha coughed a little on his water. "Is that your question?"

"Do you like to dance Inuyasha?" she repeated, very slowly. His eyes widened and he rubbed the back of his neck, blushing brightly.

"I…I'm not all that…I mean, sure I guess."

Kagome beamed. She had all the answer she needed. Swiftly, she stood, and walked over to his side of the table. He stared at her completely dumbfounded. He was even starting to look a little nervous. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out on to the dance floor. There were a few couples already there, which calmed Kagome's nerves a little bit.

"Kagome…" he began, but she ignored him. She spun him around to face her, and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck. His face flamed even more before he hesitantly placed his hands at his waist. As the song continued, she could easily feel the tenseness of his muscles.

"Relax Inuyasha…" she whispered. He took a deep breath. Slowly, his body began to loosen up. Together they swayed to the music, content in just looking at each other.

_What day is it  
and in what month  
this clock never seemed so alive_

"Is it…uh…your turn or my turn?" Inuyasha finally spoke.

"Does asking you to dance count?" Kagome questioned, leaning closer. She could stay like this forever, being in his arms as he held her so safely and tenderly. She had never been so glad to meet him here tonight. She knew she couldn't just leave him to Kikyou. If she wanted a chance with Inuyasha, she had to do something. And so she had…and it was turning out to be the best night of her life.

_  
I can't keep up  
and I can't back down  
I've been losing so much time_

He shrugged. "I guess not. I'll let you ask the next question."

She grinned. "Alright, give me a second to come up with a good one."

Her face pouted in thought as she tried to come up with a good question. They had already asked so many questions to one another, and it was certainly well in to the night by now. Kagome didn't even know what time it was. But that didn't matter. She was here with Inuyasha, having the time of her life. Time didn't really matter did it?

_  
Cause it's you and me and all of the people  
with nothing to do  
nothing to lose_

Suddenly, her eyes locked with his and she gasped. Once again she was taken back by the uniqueness of his golden eyes. It would always be able to make her heart stop.

"You have…really pretty eyes." The words were out of her mouth before she realized what she had said. Her cheeks burned at her words and he blinked in surprise, his face soon matching hers as well. He cleared his throat nervously.

"Thanks…" he said with a smile. She returned it.

_  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
and I don't know why  
I can't keep my eyes off of you_

XxXxXx

His night has gone from uncomfortably bad, to maybe not so bad, then back to horribly bad, and finally back to amazingly unbelievably good. He just hoped his lucked stayed with him through the night. So far, it still seemed to be with him. Talking with Kagome had been great as always. He had to admit, playing twenty questions had sounded a little…childish, but he knew he'd get over it.

It wasn't that hard to get over.

_When I'm with someone…I want to be able to talk to them too. Of course the…non verbal stuff is important too, but I also want to be able to talk about anything…_

Before he knew it, Kagome was asking him if he liked to dance and of course he had sounded like an idiot. Luckily, she didn't seem to notice and now they were dancing, his arms around her. And he really did like the way this all felt. He felt so comfortable with her, as if he had always known her. Call it cheesy, but it was the only way he could describe it. Oh God he was getting soft…

"You have…really pretty eyes." Her comment had startled him, and judging by her facial expression, it seemed to shock her as well. But then she had blushed, and smiled. No one had ever said something like that to him. He was at a loss for words (like always) and he was only able to manage a small 'thanks' in return. Talk about being weak.

She looked away shyly after her comment, and he felt compelled to say something. Something about how she looked that night. She had pretty eyes too, so maybe he should say that? But…well, there were a lot of pretty things about her.

"Kagome…you uh…" she looked up at him and he lost his nerve. Why was it so hard to say these things? Just a simple compliment was all it was. She had the courage to say it, so why not him?

"Uh…"

"Inuyasha?"

"You haven't asked me a question yet." He replied in a rush, and then smacked himself mentally for his stupidity. Those were the last words he had wanted to say to her. At least he hadn't said anything…bad about her.

_All of the things that I want to say  
just aren't coming out right  
__I'm tripping inwards  
__You got my head spinning  
I don't know where to go from here_

She bit her lip in thought. "Okay…uh, what is your favorite color?"

"Red." He replied, looking her right in the eye. He glanced down at the dress she was wearing; the vibrancy of the color stood out even under the dim lights. His hands brushed against the fabric, admiring the softness. Perhaps it was the fact that he had messed up before. Or maybe it was because he was with Kagome. Either way, he could feel his confidence growing with strength.

The hands around her waist gently tugged her toward him, bringing her closer. She let out a small gasp of surprise before quickly leaning in to rest her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, relaxing against him instantly. He wrapped his arms around her more tightly, inhaling her scent. He knew he would never be good with words. His actions would have to do.

_Cause it's you and me and all of the people  
with nothing to do  
nothing to prove  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
and I don't know why  
I can't keep my eyes off of you_

Their bodies swayed slowly to the music, both of them lost in their own world.

_What day is it  
and in what month  
this clock never seemed so alive_

A loud beeping noise jolted them awake. Growling lowly, Inuyasha released Kagome and pulled out his phone from his pocket. His eyes widened in shock and slight horror at Miroku's text message.

Hey. Where are you? Mile run starts in fifteen minutes.

A cold wave of water seemed to wash over his body in seconds. How could he be so stupid!? If he missed this run, Master Totosai would kick him off the team. He had already seen what he had done to Renkotsu.

He cursed viciously, but then felt a warm hand on his shoulder. "Is everything okay?" Kagome asked.

"I have to go. Sorry Kagome."

He expected sadness and disappoint, but he was surprised at her reaction nonetheless. Her face paled considerably before she stared at the clock in complete and utter distress. She saw panic filter through her face before she cursed as well, putting his earlier words to shame.

"I'm sorry…" he repeated. What more could he say?

Her eyes widened. "Oh no! Inuyasha I'm not mad at you! I just…have to go as well. I'm late and I need to be somewhere at midnight."

He nodded in understanding. Quickly, they rushed back to the table and pulled out the cash needed for the check. After a quick argument with Kagome, she finally agreed to let him pay, as long as she paid for it next time. They all but ran out of the restaurant, before he once again turned to face her with apologetic eyes.

"I'd like to give you a ride, but I can't."

She nodded and smiled. "It's fine. I've…got my own ride. Bye Inuyasha." She kissed him on the cheek. "I would love to do this again some other time."

With a final wave, she made her way in the opposite direction and around the corner out of sight. He stood there for a few seconds, the feeling of her lips on his cheek still burning. He felt a pang of guilt for not at least giving her a better goodbye, but there was no time. Thankfully, she seemed to understand. He ran to his parked motorcycle and revved up the engine. After a few seconds, he swerved out of the parking lot and toward Shikon State University.

Despite the situation, he couldn't help but feel happy. Her words rang in his ears.

"I would love to do this again some other time."

XxXxXx

Kagome disappeared around the corner after a quick, but still heart felt goodbye to Inuyasha. She had kissed him on the cheek and her lips still tingled from the touch. She was such a dumbstruck girl sometimes…

She waited, peering around the corner for Inuyasha to leave. He seemed to stand there for a few seconds, looking deep in thought. After a moment, he ran toward the parking lot. She heard the familiar sound of his motorcycle being revved up, before he took off toward the school. She sighed tiredly. She had almost considered getting a ride, but how would she explain her reason to go to his school?

Once he was far enough out of sight, she pulled off her heels and began a full on sprint toward the school.

She wasn't second place runner on the team for nothing…

XxXxXx

He was changed in a matter of seconds, still half pulling on his shirt as he stumbled on to the field. Everyone stared at him in surprise. He was usually never late.

Master Totosai checked his watch. "Just in time Inuyasha...but don't cut it so close next time."

Inuyasha nodded.

"By the way, does anyone know where Souta is?" the Master called. No one spoke.

It wasn't like him to be late on his first run of being on the 'A' team. Inuyasha knew Souta better than anyone. He had wanted to be on the 'A' team so badly and he wouldn't just throw it away because of some school work. The boys began stretching out on the grass, getting ready for the infamous Totosai run. Inuyasha saw Bankotsu and Miroku and hurried over to them. Miroku began the questioning first.

"Where have you been?" Inuyasha rubbed a tired hand through his hair. He had probably broken ten traffic laws to get here on time.

"I was at a date."

"A date?"

"At this hour?" Bankotsu asked suggestively. Inuyasha frowned.

"No." he replied sternly. He would never do such things with Kagome or Kikyou. At least…not without their consent. "We just lost track of time."

"Who was it with?"

He bit his lip, unsure of how to say this without sounding like a complete player. "Well…it started out with Kikyou. But then it was with Kagome. It was mostly Kagome."

The entire team seemed to freeze in silence at his words. Apparently everyone had been listening. He tried his best glare at all of them, but to no avail. They all stared at him in bewilderment. Even Master Totosai had cocked an eyebrow in surprise. Inuyasha gulped. He hadn't spoken that loud, had he?

"Since when did you become such a player?" One of the 'A' members teased. Inuyasha growled at him. So much for not seeming like a player.

"Wait…let me get this straight." Miroku started. "I lost my wonderfully planned evening with my girl and you…had not one, but two dates tonight?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Unfair…" Miroku whined.

"Kagome…" Bankotsu spoke, testing the name on his lips. "Isn't that Souta's sister?"

Inuyasha nodded, but his eyes never left Bankotsu. There was something off about his tone. "Something wrong with that?" he challenged.

Bankotsu put up his hands in mock surrender. "Hey if you want to go there, then that's fine. Just don't drag me in to it."

"Since when did you start going on dates Inuyasha?" Master Totosai asked. By now, Inuyasha was starting to get a little frustrated. Why was everyone so interested in his life? And now of all times? He hoped his face wasn't too red…

"What is that supposed to mean?" he countered roughly. Why did he sound so surprised? Did **everyone **think he was a loner or something?

Master Totosai shrugged, oblivious to his hostility. "You just don't seem like the ladies type."

"Yeah…I've never seen you talk to any girls. And plus you're always-"

"Enough!" Inuyasha roared, silencing the entire team. "Look…I just went on two dates in a row, okay? Stop asking me about it." His voice left no question, and the rest of the group continued their stretches for a few more minutes.

Suddenly, a figure came running toward them. It was Souta.

He was breathing so hard it was as if he had just ran the mile already. Sweat was trickling down in forehead, and his eyes were heavily lidded with fatigue. Master Totosau approached him immediately.

"You are late Souta." His tone was hard as steel.

Souta winced, bowing deeply. "I know. And I'm sorry. I lost track of time."

"Were you on a date as well?"

"Huh?" His eyes immediately sought Inuyasha's.

"Inuyasha arrived just in time as well. Were you two with some ladies tonight?" Master Totosaid questioned. Souta gulped loudly.

"I was…but I left the date early to study. I was in the library when I lost track of time." He muttered quietly.

Miroku chuckled. "You left a date to study?"

Everyone but Inuyasha laughed. Souta's cheeks flushed madly. Master Totosai cleared his throat to silence everyone. "Since this is your first time, I will give you a warning. However…" he leaned closer, his big bug eyes practically bore holes through Souta. "…don't make a habit of it. I expect better from an 'A' team member."

Souta nodded. "I understand. Sorry." Averting his eyes, Souta quickly made his way over to Inuyasha and the others.

"Hey." Inuyasha called. He had never seen Souta look so tired. The library wasn't too far from here…right?

"Hey." Souta replied, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He didn't even spare him once glance. It was as if he was trying to avoid his gaze. Maybe he was embarrassed. His cheeks were still pink.

XxXxXx

Sorry for the wait. I'll do my best to put out one chapter per week. I was really busy last week. Parties, and friends getting ready to leave for college. All you high school people…enjoy it while it lasts. You're going to miss it so much!

Oh yes! The fluff galore. I feel like I'm rushing it all a bit. Oh well. Inuyasha seems a bit out of character as well. Eh…hopefully not too much. I have no idea about the geography of Kyoto to the ocean. Sorry about that. Just deal with it.

I don't own the song, You and Me by Life house. Beautiful song. Go listen to it if you haven't. I was listening to it as I was writing. It was sort of a destiny/spur of the moment idea to put it in the story. I think it turned out nicely.

Hope you enjoyed. I certainly enjoyed this chapter. Thank you all so much for your encouraging reviews! They mean so much to me!


	19. Seeking Absolution

On Sunday night, Kagome received a piece of news that made her dread Thursdays. She had been researching a bit of information on the computer, when her mail icon popped up on the screen. Immediately she clicked on it, but then wished she hadn't. It was an email from the Geisha Ladies Organization.

_Dear Graduating Geisha Member,_

_First and foremost, the entire esteemed Geisha Board Members would like to congratulate you on your success throughout your Geisha Etiquette. You have all come a long way from the girls you once were to the beautiful ladies you are now. We are all very proud of you, and cannot wait to see you at the graduation ceremony. _

_However, despite the excitement of your honorable and numerous achievements, your journey is not yet complete. There are many measures to be taken care of in order to promote you as a true Geisha member. This coming Thursday, the Geisha Ladies Organization will host a lunch to celebrate this joyous event, and to prepare for it as well. _

_It will be held at the Waterfall Gardens Restaurant at 11:30am. Please be on time. Your attendance is absolutely mandatory. Pictures will be taken. Failure to attend may suspend your graduation. We hope to see you all there._

_Sincerely,_

_The Geisha Board_

XxXxXx

"You want to borrow my car?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes. I…need to go somewhere today for lunch."

"Where do you need to go?" Miroku asked. Kagome bit her lip.

"My mother needs me to help her with some Geisha stuff…back at home."

He stroked his chin. "Why not ask Inuyasha for a ride?"

"No!" she cried loudly. Miroku jumped back in surprise and she blushed. "What I mean is, my mom doesn't like it when I bring people over."

"Oh…alright then." He reached in to his pocket and pulled out his keys. She reached for them, but he pulled them out of her grasp with a warning. "If you dare get one scratch on it…" he warned.

"I won't." Kagome assured, grabbing the keys. "Thanks Miroku…" He nodded and walked away. She sighed tiredly. At least now she had a ride there.

It wasn't until thirty minutes later that Kagome realized that getting the ride wasn't the hard part. Finding the restaurant was. She must have circled around Kyoto for what seemed like forever, but was still unable to find it. The street names were a jumble to her, and all the signs were like foreign language gibberish. Who would've thought that a person like her, who has lived here her whole life, would have such problems with finding a simple restaurant? Waterfall Gardens…surely she had come across the place before? Kagome gritted her teeth in frustration. She was already five minutes late.

After passing by the same park for the fourth time, Kagome finally decided to ask someone for directions. She found a nice old lady sitting on a bench and pulled over. She found the restaurant within minutes after asking, but by then she was nearly ten minutes late. After doing a double check in the mirror for her appearance, she jumped out of her car and ran inside.

She found her way to the double doors of a private room and heard voices inside.

"The Geisha Ladies Graduation is a very important event that displays the finest finishing of you young ladies and helps to carry on the Geisha Tradi-" The speaker's voice paused upon Kagome's abrupt entrance. Those double doors hadn't been easy to open.

Everyone stared at her, some appalled, and some confused. She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry I'm late…traffic."

But Lady Izayoi gave her a warm smile. "It's fine dear. Please sit down." Kagome nodded, and moved to the nearest round table to sit. Her eyes locked with her mother sitting a few tables away, and she smiled nervously. Her mother gave her a look that promised a talk later on. Kagome took her seat, ignoring all the disgusted looks the ladies gave her. But there was one look that Kagome just couldn't ignore; one that she glared right back at.

Tsubaki snorted. "About time you got here."

There were so many things Kagome could've said to her at that moment. So many combinations of words she had learned from Inuyasha over the fast few weeks that would have sent even Tsubaki in to a heart attack. But she held her tongue, remembering where she was. As Lady Izayoi resumed her speech, Tsubaki kept shooting glares at Kagome. She ignored them the best she could, but it was proving to be difficult. _'I just want to smack that grin off her face…'_

Lady Izayoi's speech was as perfect as ever, thanking all the members and helpers, as well as the Waterfall Gardens Restaurant for hosting them that day. She spoke about the struggles they had all been through and that only through the young girls hard work did they made it to where they were. It was only until she reached the information about the actual graduation did Kagome listen intently.

"This year's graduation will be held at the Cherry Blossom hotel next Tuesday. There will be dinner, dancing, and tons of fun for you young girls. This is a celebration after all." She laughed lightly. "Remember that attire is formal, for both you and your escort."

"Escort?" Kagome called out without thinking. Next to her, Tsubaki rolled her eyes and a few of the other girls sighed. Kagome shut her mouth. Why couldn't she be smart in situations like this?!

"Yes Kagome dear. You will all need an escort to this Graduation. There will be a stage set up with a…cat walk of sorts. Your name, and your escort's name will be called and you will take your walk down the aisle as a proud member of the Geisha Ladies Organization." Lady Izayoi explained happily. She wiped a tear from her eyes.

Oops…she must have missed that detail about needing an escort. And now she was going to need one by next Tuesday. Finding an escort was never as easy as it looked. Of course, Kagome knew exactly who she wanted to escort her.

Her heart dropped in to the pit of her stomach. For all she knew, Inuyasha might not even like her; there was always Kikyou after all. He probably wouldn't want to come to one of these fancy gatherings anyways; he wasn't one for attention and drama. Even if Kagome asked, she doubted that he would say yes. Plus, there was that whole issue about 'oh by the way, I've been disguised as my brother Souta the whole time' that she had to work out. Her mind was already dreading such a conversation.

'_Even though he might not want to go, it wouldn't hurt to ask…' _she thought lightly. Inuyasha was very handsome, already somewhat familiar with the Geisha ways, and she was in love with him. What more of a perfect match could she ask for? She just hoped he would be willing to consider. It would make her day if he said yes.

Lady Izayoi concluded her speech just as the waiters began serving the appetizer dishes. As the lunch continued, Kagome could not help but feel so out of place. The atmosphere around her felt so…formal and suffocating. The lunch room had been decorated in light peach colors making Kagome feel uncomfortable in her bold green dress. The meals itself were a death trap. Luckily, she recalled whatever scraps of dining etiquette left in her to make herself at least seem presentable. And let's not forget the ladies at the table. Though Kagome attempted to start conversations, it seemed her entrance from before had tainted all the words she spoke. She was starting to wonder if even coming here was worth it. It was a miracle she was even graduating.

As Kagome carefully sliced another piece of chicken, laughter was heard from one of the other tables. Kagome's eyes couldn't help but narrow at the source. Just a few meters away sat Kikyou, giggling at whatever the girl next to her had said. That smile reminded Kagome of the one Kikyou had given Inuyasha. Oh…how she hated it. She gripped her fork hard in her hand. With a savage-like thrust, she stabbed her chicken and began eating it angrily. Her fork clanked loudly against the plate, and each bite she took was emphasized vocally.

She hadn't noticed, but more than half the table was staring at her by now, but Kagome only had eyes for Kikyou. Kikyou…the one who Inuyasha was so hung up over. The perfect one. The one who stole Inuyasha and left her feeling dejected and jealous. The one who—hey, where was she going?

Kikyou had suddenly gotten up, excusing herself politely of course, and was heading toward the bathrooms. Kagome frowned angrily, debating whether to follow her for questioning, or sit there and sulk in her misery.

"Kagome…could you please keep it down?" Tsubaki informed coldly.

Well that pretty much decided it.

Throwing her napkin on her plate, Kagome stood. "Excuse me ladies." She said as sweetly as possible. "Bathroom." She heard Tsubaki mutter something under her breath, but chose not to question it.

She quickly made her way over to the bathroom. Kikyou was busy in front of the mirror, fixing her already perfect hair. For a moment Kagome just stared at her. What was she hoping to gain by asking Kikyou about her and Inuyasha? What if it was just a true attraction? Wouldn't that just upset her even more? What she wanted Kikyou to say now seemed completely…unrealistic. Why ask someone out, if you didn't like them?

'_I just want to know it for sure…' _Kagome told herself.

She walked up to Kikyou. "Hi." She greeted with a smile.

Kikyou was as polite as ever. "Hello." She replied easily, before resuming back to her hair duties. But then she paused, as if remembering something. Her eyes suddenly widened. "Wait a second, do I know you?"

Kagome shrugged. "I…don't think so." She began fixing her hair, trying to seem as uninterested as possible. But Kikyou remained firm.

"No…I think I do…" She gasped, her eyes focusing. "I know…you were the one who saved me at the kissing booth. Kagome right?" She exclaimed excitedly.

Kagome's eyes widened as well. "Oh yeah!" she cried in fake happiness. "I remember now."

Kikyou smiled. "I never did get to thank you…for that. That boy would've kept going if it hadn't been for you."

"It was no problem. I was glad to help." She replied with complete honesty.

"Well…thanks again. It was great to see you." She made a move as if about to leave, but Kagome stepped in front of her.

"Your name is Kikyou right?"

She nodded.

"The one…who went out with Inuyasha Takahashi." She stated, looking her right in the eye. That got her attention.

"Oh…yes, but just once." She blushed and Kagome's eyes flashed. "Word travels fast it seems…"

"Oh yeah…real fast." Kagome replied dryly.

"Do you know Inuyasha?"

Kagome gulped. "Well…uh…not really."

"Oh…I see." She paused. "I don't really know him that well either."

"Well that's what the date is for, right?" Kagome added, recalling pieces of their previous chat.

"I guess…" Something in her tone didn't quite suit well with Kagome. She sounded…almost sad and tired. Like just the thought of Inuyasha made her feel that way. It made Kagome even more curious. Could her previous suspicion actually be true?

She chose her next words carefully. "Did you…not enjoy being with Inuyasha?"

Kikyou bit her lip, suddenly looking nervous. "Well…you see…I…he…" she fumbled with her words a bit, as if in an interior battle with herself. None of her words made sense, and she was starting to look frustrated.

"Kikyou?" Kagome called softly.

Finally, she growled. A very un-Kikyou-like growl. "Okay! Fine. The truth is…I never…liked Inuyasha."

Kagome swore she heard angels singing somewhere at that moment. An immense relief washed over her like a river's current, and Kagome let it take her away. She was grinning like a madman inside, and held back the urge to do a dance. _'Kikyou doesn't like Inuyasha!' _Just the thought of it made her melt with happiness once more. She felt powerful, and yet weak in the knees all at once.

"But…if you didn't like him, then why go out with him?" she questioned. Kikyou sighed.

"Well…you see…I have this huge crush on his roommate, Souta, and I was just trying to make him jealous."

"What!?" Kagome screeched. The raging river within her suddenly stopped. A shiver of shock seemed to pass through her spine and she lost the ability to speak. It was just so crazy to believe! Kikyou…had a crush…on Souta? On her?! Well that was the last thing she was expecting.

Upon seeing the wideness of her eyes, and her rigid posture, Kikyou wrung her hands, almost ashamed. "I know…" she cried out pathetically. "I know it's wrong and I never should have…but I just couldn't help it. Souta," she sighed heavenly. "He is just such an amazing guy. He's strong, sensitive, and so cute. It was hard…not to fall for him."

Kikyou thought she was strong, sensitive, and cute? She didn't know whether to feel complimented, or disturbed. Wait, did Inuyasha think of her that way? _'Focus Kagome!'_

Kagome coughed. "Wow…sounds like a heart throb…"

"I know!" Kikyou exclaimed. Her eyes suddenly took on a glazy look. _'Oh great…she's fantasizing about me…'_ Despite feeling overwhelmed by all this, Kagome knew it had to stop. Kikyou couldn't continue to deceive Inuyasha like this. Hell, she couldn't continue to deceive Kikyou like this. She needed to end it now, before it got too out of hand.

"Kikyou…" she called. The love sick girl snapped out of her daze. "I think you need to stop this…"

She sighed sadly. "I know…"

"You are weaving a really tangled web that is only going to end with heart break. Enough is enough and you need to stop before this gets ugly. You need to be true to yourself." Kagome advised strongly. The sooner all of this was resolved, the better.

"You're right…"

"Yes…I am."

"I need to be true to myself." Kikyou stated strongly, a new light in her eyes.

"Yes, be true."

"I need to tell Souta how I really feel."

"Yes—wait what?" Kagome stopped.

Kikyou continued as if she hadn't said anything. "Tomorrow…" she confirmed. "Tomorrow I will tell Souta how I feel. And then…" She smiled, full of love and confidence. "I will kiss him."

Kagome laughed nervously. The idea was already sounding like a disaster…for her at least. The last thing she wanted was to reject Kikyou like that. "Listen Kikyou…"

Kikyou jumped, clapping her hands excitedly. "Oh thank you so much Kagome!" she embraced her in a tight hug before walking out the door. And Kagome just stood there, unable to think of what to do. She was frozen to the spot. Part of her believed that what just happened…never happened. The other part…was almost terrified of the days to come.

XxXxXx

Long and boney fingers eagerly tapped against the key board. Furiously, the figure worked, hoping to get an answer. After typing in the key words, he clicked search. The figure let out another heavy grunt at the lack of new information worthy of his praise. He picked up his mug of coffee, inhaling deeply before taking a sip. It was going to be a long night.

How?

How was it possible for there to be absolutely no relevant information on his target? Absolutely none! All his searches brought him results from other countries, cities, and continents. Even as he typed in different words, it didn't matter. The internet still failed to bring in the desired information.

The closest he had gotten was a small internet site with his target's name listed on it. He was in a band of some sorts called the Hot Wasabis or something like that. 'This' result had lived in Kyoto, but didn't seem to match the facts he had gained firsthand from talking to him. He was looking for a kendo person, not a guitar player who was playing in New York. Still, he had written the site name down just in case; it was the best he had so far.

His gaze fell to the pile of newspaper clippings next to him. He had scoured the high school sports sections of these year old newspapers, and there was still absolutely nothing. Heck, the college data base gave him more information than these sources. Of course, those were only the general pieces; he needed details.

He tried once more, this time logging on to a myspace page. Still, nothing. He could've sworn that Souta said he had a myspace. Or was that Kikyou? Usually it was Kikyou that occupied his thoughts, but nowadays, Souta was evading them even more.

'_Oh Kikyou…' _he thought sadly. If it wasn't for Souta, he wouldn't be piling through these sources to get the information he needed. If only Souta had stayed away from Kikyou. He had been making his moves all year, and Kikyou still remained impassive to his insistence. But he knew…it was just a matter of time. Kikyou would soon see what a worthy partner he was compared to a mere kendo boy.

Looking at his watch, he realized that it was nearing two in the morning. Though it was late, he would soon be receiving some valuable information about Souta, one that would hopefully crush him. He still had to prove to everyone that there was something wrong with him. He knew it was true, for he was never wrong.

A knock sounded at the door. _'Finally…'_

"Enter." He commanded. The figure did, opening the door slowly. She glanced behind her just in case of a follower, before shutting the door behind her.

He spun around in his chair. "You're late."

She nodded meekly, bowing her head low in submission. "My apologies."

He waved her off, but his hard eyes never left hers. He gestured to the package in her hands. "You have it?"

"Yes." Carefully, she pulled out a book from the brown package. It was a fairly heavy book, smaller than most textbooks. She handed it to him and he smiled, skimming his hand over its surface.

"Perfect." His fingers glided over the title. Kizu High School Yearbook. The edition from two years ago.

"Is there anything else you need?" The girl replied monotonously. She brushed a strand of white blond hair out of her face, her eyes unblinking.

"No." Reaching in to his pocket, he pulled out a fifty. "Here." She took it, but her face still remained pale and stoic as ever.

"Leave Kanna." He said shortly, his eyes still on the shining cover.

"Of course Naraku." She replied, before stepping out of the room.

Naraku's hands once again brushed against the slick surface. His eyes shined with greed and eagerness. He now had all he needed. There was no stopping him now that he had the ultimate source.

Looking once more at the time, he decided to retire for the night. _'Tomorrow, the truth will be unveiled and Souta's secret will be found.' _He shut his light, enveloping the room in darkness. A calendar hung next to him on his bed. His fingers touched the Saturday date.

"And what better way to humiliate you than at the thing you love most…"

XxXxXx

"Again!"

Kagome swung.

"Again!"

A swing followed by a clean hit.

"Very good." Master Totosai complimented. She grinned.

Believe it or not, Kagome could feel herself getting stronger with each practice; faster with each run; more confident with each victory. Before, she had been worried if she was really ready for all this and if she was underestimating it all, but as time and practices continued, she felt as if she was really ready. She was able to hold her own against anyone, Inuyasha included. It made her heart soar with pride and excitement.

Thank god she had made it back just in time for the afternoon practice. She had never been so glad to hear Master Totosai's criticizing voice instead of those snobby Geisha Ladies.

For these past few days, nothing had been on her mind except kendo and school. She couldn't afford anything else. Okay…made she would daydream about Inuyasha a few times during the day, but that was the only exception. The Oskai tournament was in two days. Souta was coming back on Sunday. Everything would work out perfectly.

She knew it would.

Well…of course there was that little detail about Kikyou liking her, but she would have to deal with that when the time came. The Osaki Tournament came first.

"Alright, that's it for today." Master Totosai stated. "The Osaki Tournament is this Saturday, so I want you all to rest up tomorrow. There will be no practice tomorrow and no mile run tonight, or tomorrow night."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Now…before you all leave, I must inform you of the activities that will happen during the tournament." He cleared his throat. "As you know, it is our school's turn to host the tournament this year. It starts in the morning at nine, but you will all show up early to help set up. Chairs, food stands, and equipment must be set up in all six arenas."

"Arenas? But we only have one dojo."

Master Totosai turned to Shippo. "Yes, that is correct. Thus we have to use the other basketball gyms as arenas. Our dojo will be spilt in to two arenas while the other two basketball gyms are spilt as well. The arenas will be labeled from A-F. So don't get lost."

Kagome groaned. As if she wasn't bad at directions already. Next to her, she heard Inuyasha chuckle. She smacked him hard.

"As you know, there are thirty-two teams competing this year. Sixteen in each bracket group. In each match, the team must win three out of the five duels to advance. Basically, to win the tournament, you need five wins. The winner of bracket one will play the winner of bracket two in the finals." He turned toward a group of the boys. "Those of you on the 'B' team will participate in the 'B' team section of the tournament. It is smaller, since some schools don't have a 'B' team. However, you will fight on Sunday."

The master reached in to his kendo bag and pulled out a small stack of paper. "I have the schedules for the tournament. On the schedules are all your possible competitors, as well as the time and arena location."

"We already know who we are playing." Bankotsu interrupted.

Master Totosai shook his head. "Some teams dropped out, so there have been some changes."

As he handed out the papers, Kagome noticed with surprise that their first opponent was no longer Kyoto University, but instead Tokyo University. Kyoto University had been moved to the second group bracket while they were in the first group. She frowned. That means that the only way she could play against Kouga was in the finals.

She clenched the paper in anger. All her hard work, and she probably wouldn't even see Kouga after all. Were the fates that cruel to her? Or maybe they were saving her…no. She couldn't think that. She knew she was ready. She had long since been ready. She would fight through the tournament regardless. It was what she loved, and she couldn't let her team down. She had come to win.

A paper was thrust in to her vision. "Do you need another copy? That one looks a little wrinkled."

She looked up at Totosai's big bug eyes. She blushed and relaxed her hands. "This is fine…" He nodded and resumed passing out the papers.

"Remember everyone. We are the ones hosting this tournament. So I expect the best, most respectable behavior to all our competitors. That includes you…Inuyasha." The master turned hard eyes toward him.

"Keh."

"You are all dismissed."

XxXxXx

"_Hey Tsubaki. It's Souta. I know I haven't called you in a while, and I'm sorry about that. Listen…I know you've probably been wondering where I've been. Well, I don't know what Kagome told you, but the truth is that I was in New York for a month. My band was playing there. Anyway, I'm coming back early, on Friday night instead. I know you want to talk, and so do I. There are a lot of things…we need to talk about. I'll call you when I can. Bye."_

XxXxXx

Chapter is short, I know. Sorry about that. I literally just finished this. I have a college orientation tomorrow and I will be gone for a while so I wanted to get this chapter out before.

Once again, thanks for all your reviews! They really motivate me!

I'll do my best to update next week, but I can't make too many promises. I have my orientation, plus the next chapter is going to be pretty…intense, so I may need more time. For all you She's the Man fans, I think you know what I'm talking about. Anyway…hope you are enjoying. See you guys soon!


	20. Betrayal

"Kagome! Kagome over here!" Ayumi called. Kagome turned toward the voice. Sitting at a far off table were her four best friends. She quickly walked over and sat down.

"Hey guys. Sorry I'm late."

"Don't worry about it Kagome. We're just glad you could make it for a quick dinner. You have the Osaki Tournament tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah." She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm a little nervous."

"Nervous?"

"You'll be fine Kagome…" Yuka reassured. Kagome smiled.

This whole situation with Kikyou, Inuyasha, and the Osaki Tournament had Kagome's nervous all in a frenzy. The importance of it all had only just hit her which made her feel afraid and stressed. So when Yuka, Eri, Jakotsu and Ayumi asked to go out for some dinner, she couldn't help but agree. She had wanted to talk to someone as 'Kagome' for a long time now. Lot's of things had happened since her first day at Shikon.

The dinner progressed with tons of laughs, and emotional moments, mostly on Kagome's part. She felt all her worries slowly lifting from her shoulders, and for once she didn't have to think about what she said. She just let it all out, and her friends were more than happy to listen and offer their input. It had been a long month and she had missed them.

"Oh Kagome…" Jakotsu dabbed at the wetness in his eye. "I am so proud of you."

"We all are. And we know you are going to do great." Eri added. They all gave her encouraging smiles and she returned them all.

Just as Kagome was finishing up her emotional detail about Tsubaki during the Geisha lunch, Ayumi suddenly popped in with the most unexpected question; one that had Kagome choking on her own food.

"So…tell us about Inuyasha." She asked sweetly. Immediately, all sets of eyes on the table were on her, staring her down with the uttermost interest. Kagome's mouth seemed unworkable at the moment and all of them chuckled insanely.

"Oh come on Kagome. A month with him and that's all you have to say?"

"Actually, I think that her speechlessness says enough." They all erupted in to a fit of giggles once more and Kagome blushed.

"It's nothing like that…" Kagome attempted. All her hopes died when Yuka spoke.

"Last time I called you, you were in his room."

Jakotsu nearly screeched. "Dear Gods Kagome!"

"No wait!" she cried. "We didn't do anything!" How could she do anything?!

"Kagome…" Eri spoke in a serious voice that silenced the entire table. "Stop avoiding this topic. You knew it would come up. Now tell us about you and…Inuyasha"

Kagome gulped. "I-I-I…"

The sound of her phone ringing momentarily dropped her in to a catacomb of relief. That is…until she read who had called her. Talk about bad karma. Before she could let a word out, Eri had grabbed the phone from her, reading the caller ID. Her eyes widened.

"Oh my God, it's him!" Eri shouted excitedly. She threw the phone back at her. "Answer him!"

But Yuka cut in. "No wait! Don't answer! Make him chase after you!"

Kagome actually hesitated while her phone continued to ring.

Jakotsu held his hand out. "Oh come on. Give me the phone and let me talk to him!" he commanded smoothly. Kagome only clutched the phone closer to her chest protectively. Four sets of eyes twinkled in amusement. If possible, her face flushed even more. Her eyes darted back and forth between the phone and her friends. Either ignore him, or face utter humiliation by her friends.

She opened her phone.

"Hello?"

"_Hey. Where are you right now?"_

Her friends spoke in hushed tones to one another, still shooting her encouraging looks. She tried to stand up and walk outside, but of course they would have none of that. With a firm tug, Jakotsu had her pinned down to her seat. She whined, but her friends continued to stare at her. Guess there was no escaping them.

"_Souta? You there?"_

She nearly dropped the phone. "Uh…yeah…I'm here."

"_Where are you?"_

"Oh my God…he wants to know where you are!" Ayumi cried excitedly. All four of them sighed happily. Love sick fools…

"I'm eating dinner with some friends…" she replied, throwing her friends a hard glare. They all shut their mouths.

"_Oh…alright. Bankotsu, Miroku and I were going to catch a movie. We wanted to know if you could come. Never mind then…" _Was it her, or did he sound disappointed? Her eyes saddened, noticed by her friends of course. They all gasped quietly.

"Sorry."

"_It's fine. See you later."_

"Bye." She hung up, only to look back at her friends who were looking at her in horror.

"I can't believe you turned him down!"

Kagome frowned. "Need I remind you that he doesn't know I am a girl?"

Jakotsu snorted. "Like that's important."

She crossed her arms. "I made plans with you guys and I wasn't just about to ditch you all. Why does it matter if I turned him do-"

"You love him, that's why." Yuka said flatly.

Kagome stiffened. "W-What?" she muttered weakly. She hadn't been expecting that. No doubt her face was red once more. Her palms were sweaty and her heart was beating too fast for her to count.

Eri rolled her eyes. "Don't even try to hide it from us Kagome. It is so obvious."

"We've known it, ever since that spin the bottle game. You love him…"

All her friends stared at her, not even daring her to deny it. They knew it. She knew it. There was no point in trying to avoid it. She sighed deeply, bringing her eyes down to her hands. "You're right…" she said with a smile.

All of them cooed happily. Ayumi cleared her throat dramatically. "So…tell us about Inuyasha."

And she did, for the rest of the meal.

XxXxXx

She had to do it.

She was in love with him.

And he deserved to know.

Her eyes locked with the ones in the mirror. They were filled with such determination and love imaginable. She felt confident. Brave. She knew she could do this. She was a Nakamura for goodness sakes! She could do anything. She had never failed before, and that wasn't going to start now. She wasn't a coward.

She couldn't wait to kiss him.

The door flew open and she spun around. "He's here."

She looked at the clocked. Eight on the dot. A little late for such a moment, but she would have to make due. Thanking her sister for the information, she walked out on to the campus, her heart filled with an unwavering excitement. She had pictured this moment a dozen times in her head. She smiled.

It was time to face the music, and she knew she would come out singing.

XxXxXx

She had to do it.

She was pissed at him.

And he deserved to know.

Her foot pressed even harder on the gas petal, bringing the car up to nearly fifty miles on a residential street. She made a sharp left, barely swerving past an old lady and her husband. She cursed all the gods she knew. This was taking far longer than she had hoped. She had just gotten his message a few minutes ago and she couldn't believe it.

New York?! This whole time?!

What the hell was going on?!

She made another sharp turn, this time running the red light. She didn't care. All she cared about was getting to his school. She was beyond angry. Something was going on, and there was no way in hell he was keeping the answer from her. Even if she had to pry it out of him.

The truth would be found, and there would be hell to pay.

XxXxXx

The truth would be found, and there would be hell to pay.

He stole her away from him and thus deserved to be punished. Something was just…wrong with him and there was no way in hell he was letting him live it out. Even faster he moved, scanning the pages of the book for information. He cursed viciously when his finger snagged on the edge, causing his fingers to bleed.

"Son of a bitch." He bit out, sucking his finger. But still he continued to scour the pages. Finally he found his picture. But the picture next to it was what shocked him even more.

'_Twins?!' _his mind cried out. He couldn't believe it. Was it even possible? This whole time…could it have been…?

Well there was only one way to find out. He flipped open his laptop computer, opening up an internet page. Brilliantly, he searched for her name.

The smile never faded from his face.

XxXxXx

The smile never faded from his face. Oh God it was good to be home.

Sure the tour had been amazing; unforgettable really…but he had never realized how much he had missed his home. Slowly, he stepped out of the taxi, and took a deep breath of the night air. He would have to get used to it. This was his new school after all. He smiled happily, and grabbed his guitar out of the trunk, setting it on the ground.

"I'll be back for my things, I'm just going to check in first." He explained to the cab driver. The driver nodded and continued to unload all his other bags. He began his walk up the stairs, toward the main building, when suddenly he was stopped by someone else. A voice had called out to him.

"Souta!" One of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen was running toward him and here he was, just staring at her like an idiot. He hoped all the girls here were as pretty as she was—wait, why was she calling out to him in the first place?

"Uh…hi?" he replied, slightly confused. Maybe she was one of his fan girls. He certainly hoped so.

She looked nervous for sure. She was wringing her hands terribly, and almost couldn't look him in the eye. "I need to tell you something." She said.

Oh great. She was probably one of the office people. He was expelled wasn't he? Just for not showing up during the first month? Talk about being strict… He had barely even set foot in this school and already there was something wrong. Didn't Kagome say that she took care of everything? Or maybe…this was a joke set up by her. Can't trust your twin sister…that's for sure.

"I love you."

…

…

Wait…what? What the hell?

His eyes widened in shock, but not before she pressed her lips to his. A simple chaste kiss, but definitely filled with love. Of course it was one-sided. Too surprised over her previous words, and her current actions, he merely stood there, unable to respond. She released him, her eyes shinning.

He opened his mouth to question, but she silenced him with her finger. "Don't say it. Not now." She sighed happily. "I'll see you at the game tomorrow." Giving him one last peck on the cheek, she ran away.

He had no idea what she was talking about, but frankly, he didn't care. His eyes sought for her once more, but she had already disappeared around the corner. For some reason, he yearned for another kiss. Her lips had been sweet and soft; but still a little tentative. He had been kissed by a random girl! Not that he was complaining. Were all the incoming students greeted like that? He suddenly grinned madly.

'_I think I'm going to like this school…'_

XxXxXx

The movie had sucked.

But this…this was just unreal.

But his golden eyes didn't deceive him. He was really down there. Kissing _**her**_.

It made him feel sick. It made him feel weak. He didn't know what to think anymore. Had this been his plan all along? Had he been nothing more than a fool to not realize it sooner? His chest hurt painfully, and his eyes were filled with sorrow.

But at the same time, a bubbling anger filled him. He could feel his body shaking; his hands were like a steel vice, gripping the pole next to him as he observed them. He could feel that he was about to erupt any minute, consuming him and filling him with rage. He punched the wall hard, before stepping back in to the darkness.

He felt betrayed.

XxXxXx

Kagome knew something was wrong the moment she stepped in to the room. She couldn't explain it; it was like a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach just itching to get out. Chills went down her spine, but at the same time, an unbearable heat consumed her and filled her in all the wrong ways. The air around her just felt so…cold.

She closed the door gently behind her and set her backpack down. "Hey. I'm back." She greeted, hoping to settle her fearful composure.

He didn't answer her and that frightened her even more.

"How was the movie?" Still, no answer.

He was sitting there, like he always did when she walked in, but as she approached closer, she realized something was different. He was studying yes, but there was something more to his usual demeanor. There was a certain tightness to his jaw, a burning light in his eyes, and he looked to be trembling slightly as if barely restraining himself. Was he sick or something? He was avoiding all eye contact with her as if just the sight of her was too much.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered quietly. She sat down on the bed closest to him but he turned away from her. "Is something wrong?" she asked. Leaning over, she saw so much turmoil in those golden eyes. Something inside her died.

He finally spoke, and his voice was unlike anything she had ever heard. He had never sounded so…broken. "You know…it's amazing how…wrong you can be about a person. You get to know them, trust them, and then…they turn out to be the exact opposite of who you thought they were."

She blinked confusingly. What on earth was he talking about? He wasn't making any sense! Could this be some sort of a joke? No…his voice had so much emotion. Too much emotion for any of this to be fake. This was real, and it broke her heart to see him this way. Especially since it seemed she was the cause of his sadness.

"Inuyasha, what are you talking about?" He finally spun around to face her and she gasped at the raw pain in his eyes; raw pain that was barely being concealed.

His eyes hardened furiously. "You're going to sit there and tell me you don't know what I'm talking about?" He said incredulously, but the anger still remained.

And then it clicked.

He knew.

He had to know.

The truth about her. That she really had been a girl the whole time. There was no other explanation for his behavior. She had hurt him, betrayed him in a way that seemed to break his very soul. Whatever trust she had with him before was broken and lost…maybe forever.

'_I…can't lose him.' _She thought. The thought made her whimper in despair; causing her heart to struggle, just to beat once more. She took a deep, saddening breath, knowing there was no way out of it. She would just have to explain it the best she could and pray to the gods that he forgave her.

"Okay…you caught me."

"Keh." He spat out bitterly.

"I'm sorry…" she muttered weakly. "I'm sorry for not telling you. I know I should have, but…I was afraid."

His eyes refused to look at her, and for once, all she wanted was for him to look her in the eye. It was killing her. For him to not even spare her a glance, it hurt her more than a simple glare would ever do. She felt pathetic in front of him; unworthy of his forgiveness.

"You have to understand…I never meant for it to go this far. To be honest, I never expected things to turn out the way they did. But now that it has, I guess there really is no turning back from the truth." He stiffened violently, but she found the courage to continue.

"I love kendo…it's practically my life. I wanted nothing more to succeed and to prove my worth to everyone. And this was the only way I knew how to do it. You have to understand how important this all was to me!" she declared. He turned and stared at her with the most appalled, bewildered expression in his eyes. It made her falter for a second. Why was he looking at her in such disbelief?

"So that's your excuse? You love kendo so much that you were willing to use me to get what you want, and then you were going to turn around and stab me in the back?!"

She stopped short. Now she was really confused. Her secret couldn't possibly have entailed that...could it? Were they even on the same page here? She waved her arms wildly. "Okay…hold on a second. Now I really have no idea what you're saying!"

He snarled. "You know what?! Forget it! Try and hide it all you want, it doesn't matter anymore. I saw you with her!"

"With who!?"

"With Kikyou!"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "What?!"

He growled even louder and threw his book on the table with a force unrivaled. Kagome flinched at the loud impact. He towered over her, his eyes blazing in unaltered furry. "I saw you! You were kissing her when you got out of the cab!"

'_Cab?! What on earth…?'_

"You saw me and Kikyou get out of a cab?! When?! Where were we going?!"

"To hell if I know! You were both having so much fun on your date that I guess it doesn't really matter, does it?!" he roared.

Her mind seemed frozen in place. He saw her? Kissing Kikyou? How was that possible? She was with her friends the entire night! He was speaking nonsense, she knew it. She stood, meeting his temper with her own. He was jumping to conclusions, and she had to make him stop.

"You're wrong Inuyasha! I didn't see her at all tonight!"

"Bullshit!" He shoved her hard, and her back slammed against the wall. He advanced toward her. "What kind of friend are you!? Were you just lying to me this whole time!?" There was so much pain in his voice.

She braced herself against the walls. "No! I would never do that to you!"

"Stop lying to me! I know what I saw!" He grabbed her by her collar, and pushed her once more, effectively pinning her against the wall. She saw stars dancing in front of her eyes as her head hit the wall once more. He was gripped her shirt so tight that his knuckles were white. 

"Inuyasha!" she cried desperately, clawing at the hand that held her. She nearly cowered under his strength and the intensity of his eyes. With his one free hand, he opened the door. He was going to throw her out.

She panicked. "Wait! You don't understand!"

He threw her, and she stumbled backwards out the door. But just as he was about to slam it in her face, she stepped forward, blocking the door with her hand. He growled at her, but she held her ground stubbornly. She had to make him understand the truth, no matter what it took.

"Alright, you want the truth? Fine then!" she shouted. His grip on the door remained firm, but he wasn't pushing back on it anymore. At least he was willing to listen. She couldn't blow this.

"Kikyou never liked you. She only asked you out because she liked me! She was just using you to make me jealous! Don't you see? She was just playing with you!"

He stared, refusing to believe her words. "You expect me to believ-"

"Yes I do!" she interrupted. "She never liked you…but there is someone who does! Kagome! She's crazy about you! She wants to be with you Inuyasha!"

For the first time, the fierce looking in his eyes dimmed, and she felt the grip on the door go slack. He sighed deeply, bringing his eyes down to the floor, pondering over her words. She let herself relax.

But not for long. As quickly as it had come, his anger returned in full force. He pushed against the door, and she fell back slightly. "Inuaysha?!"

"This is all part of your plan isn't it? Both you and Kagome! You just wanted Kikyou all to yourself while I was distracted! I bet Kagome never even liked me!" He accused harshly. Kagome felt her body stiffen horribly. Lies?! He thought she was lying?! She could already feel the tears welding up in her eyes. _'This can't be happening!'_

"No! Inuyasha! That is not it!" She cried frantically, but he ignored her.

"Don't talk to me! And tell Kagome to stay away from me!" he yelled and slammed the door hard in her face. Looking down the hall, she saw numerous students staring at her in shock. But she avoided all their stares and ran down the hall as far away from Inuyasha as she could.

He hated her.

And because of that…she practically hated herself.

XxXxXx

Shouting, yelling, screaming…

What the hell was going on down there? He could barely concentrate!

With a frustrated sigh, he attempted to block out the horrible noise. There were so many important things to do. He typed in the girl's name once more, enthralled to find her myspace photo. Apparently she had been quite the kendo player for the past ten years, following in her dad's footsteps of course. She had once dated the boy's captain of the Kyoto University kendo team, but was now single. That alone, could explain her attendance here.

He lifted his head. Footsteps pounded down the hall, and then all was quiet. Ah…silence at last. Finally their little quarrel had ended. He brought his eyes back to the computer.

Her twin brother had been the one he had found earlier. The one in New York, playing his music in the band known as the 'Hot Wasabis'. That explained his absence for the entire month. Everything was falling in to place. He chuckled humorously. _'There is no way she will be able to hide it now…' _The weird behaviors, being a 'ladies man', playing kendo, New York…it all fit. Now all he had to do was prove it.

He knew the when and where, but the question was how…He knew Principal Saito would never believe him. That old man was practically in love with the boy…er…girl. He needed someone to support him. Not help…just back him up on the facts.

He jumped as the shrillest voice in the world suddenly interrupted his thoughts. So much for the silence…

"Open this damn door now!"

Curiosity got the better of him. He stood from his seat and opened his door to peer outside. In the hall, he saw a furious young woman pounding her fist hard on the door of Takahashi and Higurashi. She was certainly attractive, to say the least, but her behavior at the moment was certainly…less than appealing.

She pounded even harder. "Souta! I know you're in there! Open up! You have a lot of explaining to do!"

Ah…she knew Souta? This…could work for him. He paused however, choosing to watch till the end.

The door opened revealing a shirtless, very pissed off Inuyasha. He growled at her. "He's not here!" he yelled.

The woman took at step back in surprise, but then moved forward, pointing an accusing finger at him. "How dare you speak to m-!"

He slammed the door in her face.

The woman looked enraged. She muttered some profanities about him and his family before walking down the hall. Before she could go any further, Naraku decided to end his silent observation. He stepped in front of her.

"Hello." He replied smoothly.

She looked at him in disgust. "What do you want?"

"You know Souta Higurashi I take it?"

Her eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "What of it?"

"Well…I'm sure you've noticed some things have been a little off lately…" Her eyes widened and he smiled inwardly. Now he had her attention.

"Go on."

"Let's talk." He replied, gesturing her in to his room. She hesitated, before stepping inside. She sat down on his bed, and he in his chair.

"My name is Onigumo Naraku." He greeted, extending a hand. She ignored it.

"Tsubaki."

"Well Tsubaki…let me ask you something…how well do you know Kagome Higurashi?"

His eyes twinkled mischievously and she caught it immediately. She gave him a smile that matched his own. He couldn't believe his luck. He now had everything he needed. Everything to reveal the truth about the Higurashis and get the credit he so humbly deserved.

XxXxXx

A hand touched her shoulder and she jolted awake. She blinked away the sleepiness in her eyes. Slowly, she pushed herself up from the bench she had been sleeping on. Her body felt stiff and tired, both physically and emotionally.

"Souta?" Someone called and she looked up. It was Sango.

"Sango?" she croaked. God she needed some water…

For once, Sango actually looked worried. "Are you okay?"

Kagome cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Fine. Just dozed off I guess." She could still feel the wetness from her tears. She wiped whatever remnants that were left on her cheeks. No doubt she had bags under her eyes. She probably looked like crap at that moment. Apparently, she had cried herself to sleep.

"If you don't mind me asking…what are you doing out here? It's almost midnight."

"Well…Inuyasha and I had a fight and I kind of got kicked out of my room." She said sheepishly, hoping to cover up a fraction of the pain she felt. His words still stung, and were fresh in her mind. She had slept, but not so soundly. It had been one of the worst nights.

"Oh…I see." She sat next to her. "Are you going to be alright?"

Kagome managed a smile. "I think I'll be okay."

She didn't look convinced. "You know…I have space in my room if you need…" she offered.

Kagome's head snapped up. She felt her heart soften for the first time that night and let out a tremendous sigh of relief. "Really?"

Sango nodded. "There was a mix up in the beginning of the year. I was supposed to be in a triple with Keade and Kikyou, but somehow ended up in a double by myself."

"Oh. I see. So you've never had anyone sleep with you before?" Kagome knew that was the wrong thing to say right as the words came out of her mouth. The atmosphere immediately turned awkward.

Sango blushed heavily. "Well…uh…I guess not. I mean…not recently."

"Recently?" Kagome inquired, truly interested.

Sango put her head in her hands. She spoke so low, that Kagome almost didn't hear. She wasn't even sure if she was talking to her or herself. "Well…there was that one time with Inuyasha's brother."

"What!?" Kagome's voice echoed probably echoed throughout the school. But then she paused. It made sense…talking to Sesshomaru in the halls. He had said something about Sango. Did this mean…they were together at one point?

"Yeah…" Sango replied, flustered. "He did stay over for a little while. We were together, but things started getting hard, and one morning he just left. Guess I never really got over it." She chuckled humorlessly. She looked Kagome in the eye. "Can you tell Inuyasha how sorry I am?"

Kagome gulped. '_That might not exactly be possible now.' _

"Sure." She answered, but something flashed in to her mind.

"_If you have plans Sango, you don't have to come."_

_Sango breathed slowly. "It's fine. He'll just have to understand."_

"Wait. Was he the one who you said…on the night of the double date?" she spoke without thinking, but Sango seemed to read her mind. Her eyes widened and she waved her arms in front of her.

"Oh no! That's…uh…someone else." She replied, her face flushed. Kagome nodded and decided to end it there. Both of them had clearly had enough of boys that night.

"Any space you could offer me tonight would be great."

XxXxXx

He unlocked the door to his dorm room around nine thirty that night. He would've gotten in earlier if not for some mix up at the registration. _'I already got my key? What the hell were they talking about?'_

The room was pitch black when he walked in. He saw a small lamp on the desk and flicked it on. The room was a decent size, neat for the most part. His room mate was already asleep in the bed opposite of his. He saw some kendo equipment in the corner and smiled.

"My roommate is a kendo player. God, Kagome would've loved this."

Looking around, he noticed most of his things already here. He made a reminder to himself to thank Kagome later. He unpacked the rest of his clothes and set them in to the appropriate drawers. After a few more minutes of unloading, he yawned tiredly, already feeling the effects of the time changes. He pulled off his shirt, jumped in to bed, and closed his eyes.

He thought about nothing but that mysterious girl he would see tomorrow.

XxXxXx

Best to end it there, that way I can start with the tournament in the next chapter. Yes I know, a lot of scene changes, but I think it all turned out the way I wanted, if not better. I actually finished this chapter a lot faster than anticipated. The more I get excited, the faster I work. Hopefully the quality of this chapter was as good as the others. Sorry if I bored or confused you guys.

I'm estimating about two to three more chapters, plus maybe an epilogue. It all depends on the next chapter. The Osaki Tournament could end up being a double whammy like the carnival one. And like I said, I'll try to update within a week. I've been brainstorming a lot about the next chapter. It does have the tournament in there which is the BIG finale like thing…so I want it to be good. I'm having a little trouble though. SO many things going on next chapter.

Wow…it's really ending. Feels like college…never realized how close it really was until I went to orientation, which was great in case you were wondering.

Hope you have enjoyed! Please review! Thanks to everyone!

**ANSWER ME THIS QUESTION**: Would you rather have one BIG chapter or have it divided in to two? Thanks guys!


	21. The Tournament

He woke up feeling exhausted and weak; both in spirit and body. It was the worst time to be feeling this way, considering he had a tournament to play today. He rubbed his eyes and looked over at his clock. 5:35; he didn't need to be awake for another half an hour. With a heavy sigh, he sat up, yawning tiredly. No use sleeping now. He probably wouldn't be able to anyway.

His gaze fell on Souta. He frowned. _'How the hell did he get back in here?'_

Just seeing him immediately set his mood off in to an even sour one. Stiffly he threw on a pair sweats and a wife beater, grabbed his kendo bag, and headed out the door. The last thing he wanted was to talk to him again. If he was lucky, maybe he could switch roommates later on.

The scowl must have been quite evident on his face for when he walked in to the gym, Master Totosai's eyebrows shot up. "Inuyasha? You're certainly here early. Is everything okay? Get a good sleep?"

"Keh." He replied, his tone much harsher than usual. The Master paused, looking over at him questioningly, but Inuyasha pretended to ignore him. He was in no mood to entertain today.

Master Totosai set him on various tasks to work on, many of which were labor inducing tasks. Setting up tables, chairs, carrying water tanks, food boxes, all the works. It wasn't until about 6:30 that the rest of the team arrived, some of them still looking half dead. The Master immediately supplied them with their own jobs; an action to which they all groaned loudly.

"I don't want to hear any complaining." Master Totosai barked. They each proceeded on with their jobs, neither of them mouthing a word. An hour or so passed by fleetingly, and other teams and guests beginning to arrive. The place was soon packed, players running around, checking schedules and going to their respective arenas. The tournament soon went underway, and the first few matches began sharply at 9. Luckily, they still had time to rest. Their first game against Tokyo University wasn't until 9:30.

Miroku suddenly piped up. "Hey where's Souta?"

Everyone looked over at Inuyasha and he flinched; the very sound of his name enough to unleash poison and bitterness back in to his veins. His fists were soon clenched, his mouth set in to a firm line. Now would be the worst time to lose his temper.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked cautiously, noting his rigid form.

He looked away from all the stares. "Don't know…and I don't fucking care."

The air around them team seemed to evaporate with his words. Tension was practically leaking out of him in waves, and the team exchanged glances with one another, but at the moment, he could care less what they said. He could care less about what happened to **him**.

Trust was such a fragile thing between people. They say it takes years to form, but only seconds to break, and to Inuyasha, any amount of trust left within him had all but vanished. He could feel it within himself; sinking away with every second that he thought about it. Part of him was still in shock over the whole ordeal. He thought Souta was different than all that stupid bullshit the rest of his friends played. Guess he was wrong.

And another part was still kicking himself for not realizing it sooner; for not seeing the truth and preventing it. Maybe to everyone else, it was so obvious, and he was just too dumb to not read the signals. Although…he had seemed genuinely confused when he had confronted him about it, blabbering about kendo and whatnot… but then again, Souta was great with women, so it would be no surprise if he could lie and act his way out of anything.

And then there was Kagome…

Had he been anything to her at all? Keh, probably close to nothing. All of it was nothing but lies. She…hadn't meant any of it, just like her brother. There was no other way to explain it. It all hurt too much to think about it. He sighed tiredly, his eyes clouded in grief.

He couldn't start thinking about all these stupid problems now. He had a tournament to win. Anything else on his mind would just be a distraction.

His thoughts were stopped by Master Totosai's voice calling them in. They had just twenty five minutes till their first match. Everyone piled in to the locker room, sitting in a circle. Master Totosai counted them, frowning when he was one short.

"Who are we missing?"

A few dared to shoot glances at Inuyasha, and he glared at them.

"Souta hasn't showed up yet, so we sent two Team B players to find him." Bankotsu offered. Totosai's eyes hardened and he threw his clip board on the floor, nearly snapping it in two.

"Where is he?!"

XxXxXx

Not far away, Souta Higurashi snored loudly, unaware of the curses that had been bestowed upon him just moments ago. He was awoken with a start when his door flew open, jolting him awake with the sound. He looked at the newcomers with sleepy eyes. They were staring at him in disbelief.

"Wha-?"

"What are you doing here?!" They both cried in unison. Frantically, both of them grabbed him by the arms, and pulled him out the door in to the hallway. He allowed himself to be dragged for about three seconds, the feeling of sleep still with him. Eventually, he blinked it all away, and retracted his hand from their grip.

"What…what are you guys doing?!" he breathed. They had just interrupted his wonderful dreams about…music of course. Why did they look so worried? Scared? Appalled at him? He sighed. "Are you guys from the front office?"

"Stop playing around!" One of them shouted. Both guys looked as if they were going to pop a blood vessel. He back away slowly, but they grabbed him and began towing him away once more.

"Are you insane, or just plain stupid?!"

Something told him that they were being sarcastic. "Now wait just one minut—"

"You have a kendo match that starts in twenty minutes!"

His mind only wrapped around one word. Match? As in a game? Was that what that girl was talking about? Would he see her there? He certainly hoped so. Suddenly, nothing else mattered. All he could focus on was that girl. Excitement filled him and he smiled widely. He eased his struggles, allowing himself to be carried away for the moment. If it took him to the girl, then he would gladly cooperate.

"Where am I supposed to go?" he asked eagerly.

After many insults and curse words, all three of them finally arrived at one of the school gyms. Was this where the game was? He headed toward the double door entrance but stopped upon seeing the ticket man. He looked to the guy on his right. "I don't have a ticket though…"

The guy shot him a bewildered look before shoving him forward, toward the doors. "He's on the Shikon Team." He informed, and the ticket man nodded and let them through.

"Team? What team?"

Both boys only pushed him harder. They took a few turns before they came to another closed door. He was about to question once more, but the boys swiftly opened the door and shoved him in. He stumbled in and froze as more than half a dozen pairs of eyes stared at him in shock. He gulped loudly. Clearly he was in the wrong place.

"Uh…hey…and uh…sorry?" he said with an embarrassed smile. This only furthered to anger the old man sitting at the head of the group. His scowl was so deep that Souta wondered if he ever smiled.

"Where the hell have you been?!" he growled out.

Souta jumped back. "Uh…sleeping?"

The old man snorted, noticing his current attire. "We can see that." He said coldly.

What was this guy's deal? Why was he so angry at him? He didn't know he had to be here today! No one told him at the orientation. And where exactly was **here **anyway. He looked around. The room was pretty small with a few chairs here and there, a water tank in the corner, and a large chalk board on the wall. His new…acquaintances were all wearing—wait, were those kendo uniforms? Now he knew he was in the wrong place.

"Listen…" he began, but the old man's sharp tongue cut him off.

"I don't want to hear any excuses. We will settle your irresponsibility later on. Right now, you need to get changed." He commanded. He stayed rooted to the spot."Let's hurry up now!!" The old man roared.

He let out a startled yelp before bolting out the door and in the opposite direction, just hoping to get as far away as possible. His plans were thwarted once more.

"You're going the wrong way!" One of the earlier guys called. He felt his arm being pulled out of its socket once more as the pair yanked him in to another room. Inside, he saw multiple showers, and dozens of lockers, one of which had his name on it. Luckily, it was unlocked. He opened it and his eyes widened.

'_Wait…they don't honestly expect me to…right now?!'_

"Come on!" the guys cried out. He quickly shed all his clothes and pulled on the white undershirt and sweatpants, not even wasting a second.

'_What the hell is going on here?' _He had thought he was going to see the 'mystery girl' in the room, but there were only kendo guys in there, including his roommate. And none of them had looked all too happy to see him. All of this…it wasn't making sense! He hadn't signed up for any of this. Carefully, he slipped on the second layer of clothing, already feeling his body sweat from all the layers. _'They can't really expect me to wear all this!'_

He walked back to the room, his mind still in a jumble. There had to be some mistake. He didn't belong here. He didn't belong in this room, listening to this old guy talk about kendo strategy. At least…that was what he hoped they were talking about. As of now, he was just playing along with it, hoping to ask the old guy what was going on when they had a free moment.

XxXxXx

"Now…you are absolutely sure about this?" The short old man asked seriously, twiddling his thumbs together. What they had both presented him with…it was just preposterous! Almost impossible to believe. His judgments on people were almost never wrong and now a stranger and one of his best students were challenging his statements.

The young man across from him smiled widely, his reddish eyes almost glowing. "Absolutely."

He brought his gaze to the woman sitting next to him and she gave a smile that nearly matched his. "We have no doubt."

He sighed exhaustedly, running a hand through his hairless head. For them to bring him such news…and during the Osaki Tournament no less! This was just way too much for one principal to handle. He stood out of his chair, a set looking coming on to his face. His guests stood as well, waiting for his command. They all knew what had to be done.

"I guess… we have no choice. We must confront this immediately before it goes too far."

"Excellent." The young man purred. If possible, his smile grew even more.

XxXxXx

"Uh…excuse me…sir." The old man stared at him curiously. "I need to talk to you."

"If this is about your tardiness Souta, then you can save it. I told you. We will discuss this later. As of now, you are still a member of the 'A' team and you will represent as such. Now put that band on!" he ordered. Souta looked at the yellow fabric in his hand.

"This thing? But it's so…girly."

The old man's eyes flashed hotly. "Girly?" he replied, barely containing his anger. Souta cringed. Maybe not the best words to use. "You will represent this team well and you will put that on! Understood?!"

Souta nodded immediately, wrapping the yellow band around his waist as he had seen the others do. Once he had finished, he looked around briefly for the girl. Seeing her would hopefully erase his confusion and fears. His disappointment arose when he did not catch sight of her. But then again, in this huge gym with hundreds of people, and plus another game beginning on the other side, it was no surprise that he didn't see her. It was like finding a needle in a haystack.

As he walked back to the team bench, someone shoved him hard from behind. He looked up to see his roommate walking by. "Hey!" he called out, slightly angered.

But he only glared at him and slipped on his gloves.

'_What's his deal?' _

"Alright bring it in!" The old man called, clapping his hands. Everyone began surrounding him. His eyes softened. "This is it. This is what we have worked for and all I ask is that you give it your best. I know you will all make me proud."

The entire team nodded strongly, an unfamiliar fire igniting in their eyes. Souta just stood there feeling out of place. A bell was sounded and the entire crowd cheered. Looks like the game was going to start. Another group of kendo players was seated on the other side of the arena wearing the colors of blue. They were probably the opponents. A referee walked to the center of the court.

"The match between Shikon State and Tokyo University will now begin. First player to five legal hits will win the duel. The team to win three out of five duels will win the match and advance." He blew his whistle and the crowded cheered once more.

Souta took his seat on the long bench, while the other players filed in next to him. He yawned tiredly. Best to enjoy the game until he found that girl. Across the court, a rather large guy was already taking the arena ready to fight. Souta chuckled inwardly. It would suck to play against him.

A hand grasped his shoulder. He looked up to meet the big bug eyes of the old man. "You'll be up first Souta."

….

What?!

"What?" he cried.

The old man merely handed him a wooden sword thing. Souta peered at it questioningly. He had seen one of these before. What had Kagome called them? Shinny? Shunu? Shini—whatsit? Oh why hadn't he listened to her before?!

His coach leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Don't be nervous. I know you'll do fine."

"Fine?! He's going to body slam me!"

For the first time, the old man laughed. "Very funny Souta. You know as well as I do that that's an illegal move."

For some reason, Souta found no humor in his words.

"Now listen…" he muttered, leaning closer. "You're going to want to wait for this guy to attack first. Let him tire out with all his swings. He's powerful yes…but you've got great stamina and speed. Got it?"

Souta looked at him with fearful eyes. There was no way he had great stamina and speed. Where was this guy getting his info from?!

"Look…" Souta began, looking him dead in the eye. "I think you have the wrong guy here. I never signed up for—"

But the old man shook his head, shooting him another disbelieving look. "I know my 'A' team members when I pick them. So don't worry about that. Trust me Souta…" he said with a humorous twinkle in his eye. "This guy is nothing compared to your skills."

Souta scoffed. "Compared to my skills? But there's nothing to compare!"

"That's the spirit!" The old man smiled, and pulled the mask down over his head. Great…now he was supposed to fight this big guy and could hardly even see! With a hard push, he was suddenly on his feet stumbling awkwardly on to the floor. He stood across from his big opponent and gulped. This guy was two feet taller than him and twice as wide! How the hell was he supposed to fend this guy off with just a stick?!

Slowly, he held the wooden stick out in front of him as his opponent was doing. His arms were shaking terribly, but he couldn't help it. The guy was probably going to slice off his arms in a second!

"Let's win this one Souta!" he heard the old man shout encouragingly. He snorted. _'Easy for him to say! He's way over there!'_

The bell rang out and he nearly screamed.

The guys came at him slow, but steady. His feet pounded so hard on the floor, shooting off earthquakes with each step. Just as the guy raised his arms to swing down, Souta followed his instincts and ducked out of the way. The crowded clapped.

"Nice one Souta!" The old man cheered. Souta blinked. Maybe this wasn't so hard after all…

The match continued with nothing but the big guy swinging and Souta dodging every blow. With each one he dodged, Souta grinned. This was easy! He could do this all day! This guy was slow and simple to predict! He looked over at his coach to see him no longer smiling and instead had his arms crossed. _'Wha-?'_

"Offence Souta! Make a move! Strike him now!"

Offence? Was his guy serious? Didn't he tell him to just tire him out by dodging? He shrugged. Well, he was the coach… Setting his feet firmly, he suddenly came at his opponent, his arms raised for attack. Unfortunately, the guy was already two steps ahead of him, bringing down his sword to attack just as he ran forward.

SLAM!

The force of impact brought him to his knees, his head still spinning. Next to him, the referee raised his right arm up.

"Point goes to Tokyo!"

Souta bravely brought his eyes to his coach. He was fuming. "Souta! Use your speed!"

Speed? Alright then. He quickly shot to his feet and charged at the player. The guy made a move for him, but he ducked out of the way, hitting directly on his stomach. The referee blew the whistle. Souta smiled. _'Yes! Point for—'_

"No point! Illegal hit!"

Souta's face dropped. Say what?

"Souta!" the old man cried. "What are you doing?!"

'_I have no idea…' _

XxXxXx

_Kagome…_

_She was drifting away…_

_Kagome…wake up._

_Inuyasha? _

_Her eyes suddenly refocused. He was there, standing before her, no longer angry. His face was soft and peaceful, and his eyes looked happy again. But he was so far away. Desperately she ran toward him, her feet light as air. But even so, she just couldn't seem to reach him. He was disappearing._

"_Inuyasha!" she cried out. "Wait!"_

_Her hands reached for his, but went through. The air around him felt so cold. She shivered and looked up. His eyes were clouded in confusion as he stared at her. Why was he looking at her as if he didn't know her?_

"_Who are you?"_

"_Inuyasha? Inuyasha it's me…its Kagome." She said softly, slightly afraid. He…didn't remember her?_

_He laughed. "No seriously dude."_

…_dude? Dude?! When did Inuyasha ever say that!? "I am serious." She said strongly. What was he talking about?_

_He looked sad. "No…you're not."_

"_Inuyasha!" she shouted desperately. "I am Kagome! Ka-go-me!"_

_He punched her lightly on the arm, just like old times. "I know that stupid."_

_Huh? _

"_You knew that?" _

"_No."_

_Okay, now she was really confused…and a little panicky. She didn't know what to do._

"_Inuyasha! You're not making any sense!"_

_He chuckled. "I like you. You're different than most people."_

"_Stop talking in circles!" she screamed. Frustration easily replaced her confusion._

_He reached for her hand. She nearly jumped in surprise when his hand solidified around hers. She could really feel him. He wasn't disappearing anymore. He leaned forward. Was he going to kiss her?_

"_You know Kagome…I never did like Kikyou." he said with a mysterious glint in his eyes. _

_She could feel her temper rising. He was playing with her. Could she still slap him? Maybe his face hadn't completely dissolved yet…_

"_Tell me…if you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?" he asked amusingly. She growled loudly. _

"_Inuyasha! Stop thi—" _

"_Marry me."_

"_WHAT?!" she shouted. He had just…wait what? Was this really a dream? His hands felt awfully warm in hers. Maybe this wasn't a dream. Part of her hoped, and the other part wanted to know just what the hell was happening. She could feel her strength draining with each second. His hands tightened around her wrists._

"_What…what am I supposed to say?" she whispered pathetically. She was completely lost. His eyes suddenly focused and for the first time he looked her straight in the eyes. He was seeing her, for real this time. _

"_Don't lie to me Kagome." He said without any humor in his voice._

"_But…I'm not lying to you."_

"_I want the truth."_

_The truth? That's all he wanted? But…then again, was it really that simple?_

_Darkness suddenly surrounded her. She was falling. A voiceless scream escaped her throat. She was alone._

XxXxXx

She awoke violently, her head snapping up so fast that black dots immediately engulfed her vision. She grabbed her head, feeling dizzy and disoriented. A low groan escaped her lips. What had just happened? Lazily, her eyes locked with the clock. Her body stiffened horribly.

10:05

Shockwaves jolted throughout her body in agonizing spasms. She even blinked a few times to see if she was imagining it. She wasn't. A cold sweat trickled down her like a waterfall, and her heart was beating far too fast to be normal. At the same time, an overwhelming sickness seemed to seep within her stomach. She was late, so terribly late.

And she would probably be dead very soon, by her own hands.

Faster than ever before, she jumped out of bed and pulled open the door, half sprinting down the hall. She shoved other students out of the way with the only thing on her mind being the tournament. _'How could I have been so stupid!?' _she chastised herself. _'I was so exhausted last night that I forgot to set the alarm on my phone! Stupid!' _

She raced down the stairs, skipping nearly three at a time. Her feet skidded on the dirt as she turned another corner and cut across another path of students. Finally, she reached the dojo and ran inside. She hurried in to the locker room, her eyes widening at what she saw.

Her uniform was gone, and there were someone else's clothes there instead.

Something dropped in to the pit of her stomach. Master Totosai…he didn't…replace her did he? After all her hard work, she would never think of him to replace her so quickly. But then again, look what happened to Renkotsu. She shuddered. No. She refused to believe it. This was what she had been striving for. She would find the team, and beg Master Totosai to let her play. Suspend her all he wanted later on, she just wanted to play.

She ran out of the locker room and out to the front of the dojo. Outside, there was a huge poster displaying all the teams, who they were playing, and where. She quickly found Shikon State. Her heart jumped for joy at seeing that they had beaten Tokyo University and had advanced. But they were due to play Takeda University in the next round at 10:30 in arena 2.

Great…more directions.

She checked her watch. 10:15. She had fifteen minutes to find the arena, apologize to Master Totosai, find her uniform, and play the next match again Takeda. Sounded simple, but inside, Kagome was barely able to comprehend what was happening. Her mind was in a frantic rush, thinking faster than her body could move. After some quick asking, she finally found arena 2 located in one of the gyms.

The teams had yet to take the floor, both of them still in back room discussing. Casually, she took her spot next to the stands, ready to jump out as soon as her team came. After a few minutes, a bell was sounded, and like clockwork, both teams came out, Shikon State University looking strong as ever. Her eyes caught the figure of Inuyasha, his scowl still in place. She shrunk unconsciously. He still hated her, and she didn't know if she would have the courage to face him later on.

A referee blew the whistle and Master Totosai walked over to Shippo. No doubt he would be dueling first. Just as they were about to start, Kagome decided to make her appearance. Slowly she began walking toward the team on the bench, mentally preparing her apology speech.

But then she froze.

Swiftly, she ducked behind a trash can, her mind counting the number of players on the bench. _'Seven?! How the hell could there be seven?!' _She wasn't there…so how? Had Master Totosai really gotten a replacement? She recounted once more, her eyes locking on each player. _'Miroku…Shippo, Hojo…Bankotsu, Hoshiyomi, Inuyasha, and…Souta!?'_

She couldn't believe it! Souta?! What was he doing here?! He wasn't supposed to be back till tomorrow. She groaned. Why did he have to show up early, and now of all times?! Waving her arms wildly, she tried to get his attention, hoping he would come over to her, but no luck. He looked just as confused as her, which was no surprise. Had he played any matches? Was her reputation even more tainted? She dreaded just the thought of it.

"The match between Shikon State and Takeda University will now begin. Winner will advance to the next round. Players please step out on to the floor." The referee stepped back and two players took the center; one was Shippo, the other was a Takeda player.

The bell rang.

Kagome sighed. She had been too late and now she would have to wait. Slowly, she walked back to bleaches, leaning against the end. She couldn't reveal herself now; otherwise her cover would be blown. She had to wait for the right moment, and hopefully explain all of this to Souta. Then maybe she could still play and win this tournament. And maybe sort everything out with Inuyasha, even though she was still trying to sort it out herself. She pulled her hood over her face, shielding her identity from view.

And she watched entire match, feeling more and more stupid.

XxXxXx

Yes I know that most of you asked for one BIG chapter, but I have this thing with chapter breaks and one long chapter doesn't do that for me. Everything was becoming WAY longer than I thought and even I was getting tired of reading it all over and over again.

So…while I was working on the BIG chapter, it was getting a little too long for my taste and I decided to divide it up, giving you this entire portion first. I know…not too terribly exciting, but the good stuff is in the next chapter. This way, this stuff doesn't weigh down the next chapter…it'll be pure goodness in the next chapter I promise.

Okay…GOOD news. I will be updating the second half no later than Wednesday. I'm already half way done with it. It will be longer, but it is NOT the last chapter. There is still one more, and then maybe an epilogue. So I ask you to just hang tight for a few more days. I know you can do it!

BAD news…After this Wednesday, I will be going on a big double trip that will keep me away for about two weeks. I will try to squeeze in another chapter in between but it's going to be hard. So after the next chapter, don't expect another one for two more weeks. I'm sorry.

I apologize yet again. I know I didn't do what most of you told me to do (BIG chapter), but I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me! Also, please don't forget that I am basing this on "She's the Man".

Thanks for reading! Love you guys!

Holy shit, Inuyasha said the word 'fuck' for the second time in this story…how epic. Thing is…I don't like using that word too much. It loses its impact and meaning if used in every other sentence. I'm hoping that this way, readers are like…'whoa, Inuyasha is pissed.' But hey…that's just me.

Holy shit I had like over 20 reviews last chapter. I think I just died and went to heaven…


	22. Winning and Losing

A/N: WARNING. Longest chapter to date by far. Better have a lot of time available.

XxXxXx

He tried again. And again. Okay, just one more time. Nope, no sign of the mystery girl. How disappointing…

"Inuyasha! You're up." The old man called. His roommate stood, wooden sword at the ready. Inuyasha…so that was his name…weird.

Idly, Souta began inspecting the dirt under his finger nails for the fifth time. Ever since his loss against that one big guy, none of the other players even spared him a glance. Not that he minded it much; he was still trying to figure out who they were and how they knew him in the first place. He had given up about asking the coach. He seemed to want to kill him every time he approached. Hey! It was just one match!

Okay…maybe he didn't understand kendo as well as most people. Did they really expect him to? Now, put a guitar in his hand and you got something amazing. He figured this tournament to be something very important, especially considering all the people, and of course that big shinny trophy he had seen on his way in. But what he couldn't figure out was…why him? Why would something like him be picked for something as important as this? That's why he knew it had to be a mistake.

The crowd cheered loudly once more. Apparently his roommate, Inuyasha, had landed a hit. Judging by his posture, his movements, and his aura of confidence, this guy was good. Hell, he was probably more than good. Maybe Kagome should get some tips from this guy. He'd make a point to introduce them later on once he straightened out this 'hatred' he seemed to have for him.

"Point for Shikon State!"

Cool. Now they just needed one more hit to win this duel. Then they would be up, two duels to one. Great. Wonderful. Fantastic. Why did he even care?

"Souta! Hey Souta!"

His heart leapt in to his throat.

It was her.

The girl from before was really here, waving at him from the stands.

Granted she was a quite a distance away, but who cares? She was here, and she was smiling, at him no less! He returned her smile and managed a weak wave. She giggled, and sat back down in her seat. He sighed happily, his mood now in high spirits. As long as he made through this tournament, he could see her again. It was certainly a pleasant thought.

A unanimous 'oh' from the crowd caused him to snap his head back to the match.

Inuyasha was on the floor, obviously having just endured a hard hit. The referee called a point for Takeda and the old man growled loudly. "Inuyasha! Pay attention to your opponent! Not the crowd!"

The boy in mention merely grunted loudly before hauling himself up off the ground. He took a few steps to steady himself before raising his sword for the next attack. Both players came at one another once more, their wooden swords clanking against each other as they fended off the blows. Finally, Inuyasha's opening came. His opponent had swung and missed, causing his footing to be off balanced. He didn't waste a second, bringing his sword down to hit his head.

"Stop the match!"

He stopped, the sword inches from hitting the opponent's head. Both teams froze as well, looking toward their new intruders who were walking towards the arena. Souta's eyes popped out of his sockets. He didn't recognize the two men, but the woman… _'Tsubaki!?' _his mind screamed. What the hell was going on? If she was involved, he knew it couldn't be good.

The crowd boo'ed but the older of the two men merely waved his hand in apology and walked on to the floor until he was standing next to the Shikon Team bench. On the other side of the gym, the game had been stopped as well, and everyone was looking toward them. Immediately, the referee, the coaches from Shikon and Takeda and all the players came forward, crowding around the newcomers. Inuyasha had pulled off his mask and was looking quite frustrated. Souta didn't blame him. He was just about to win!

"Is there a problem here, principal?" The referee asked.

The oldest intruder nodded his head. His face looked quite saddened at the moment, while his other two associates looked pleased. "I'm afraid so. And, unfortunately, it concerns your team, Master Totosai." He replied, looking toward the coach.

Master Totosai's eyes widened. "My team?" He immediately shot Inuyasha a look.

"No, not with him." The principal informed. His eyes turned slowly, almost agonizingly, until he looked him dead in the eye. "It's to do with young Souta over there."

Souta shot out of his seat. "What?" Great, now a real office person was here. Couldn't they just be straight with him? If he was suspended, then just come out and say it!

Master Totosai appeared surprised. "What did he do?"

"I think the real question is what did **she **do?"

"Mr. Onigumo please! I shall handle this." The principal snapped, shooting his companion a look. Souta looked toward Tsubaki, as if trying to figure out what was happening. She merely smirked at him and he shuddered. _'What is going on here?'_

"She?!" Both of the coaches cried.

"What is the meaning of this Principal Saito?" The referee called.

Mr. Saito heaved another heavy sigh, the seriousness of the situation already dawning on him. He nervously looked toward all the players who surrounded him, before bringing his eyes to land on Souta.

"Mr. Souta…is there something you would like to tell everyone?" he asked. His eyes had a pleading look to them, and Souta cocked an eye brow. He was never good at reading people's signals.

"Uh…I guess I'm sorry that I'm not all that great at kendo…" he said with a shrug.

The principal shut his eyes painfully. Guess that wasn't what he wanted to hear. "Very well then Mr. Souta. You leave me no choice…"

"No choice?" he asked puzzled, but the principal didn't answer him. He motioned to his male companion and he handed him a megaphone. He turned, choosing to speak to the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen. I am terribly sorry to have interrupted today's kendo activities. As the principal of this school, I take deep pride in representing our school proudly and…honestly. You see ladies and gentlemen, recently, it has come to my attention that a member of the Shikon State kendo team has been posing in the most dishonest fashion." He raised his hand and slowly pointed to Souta. "I regret to inform you all that this man right here is not a man, but is in fact, a woman."

….

Silence.

Complete and utter silence.

Until…

"Buwahahahah!" Souta shrieked. He turned amused eyes toward the principal. His sides were practically shaking with laughter. Soon, laughter and whispers took over the crowd. Even a good portion of the kendo teams were chuckling humorously. A few of the boys peered at Souta curiously and Inuyasha's eyes went skyward.

"What exactly are you trying to pull here principal?" Master Totosai asked, annoyance gracing his voice. He still didn't look too pleased with interruption, and his angry face contrasted harshly with the booming laughter that surrounded them.

"Nothing. Just… the simple truth." Mr. Saito explained.

Souta rolled his eyes, and grabbed the megaphone from the principal's hands. "Uh…excuse me everyone. I just want to assure you all that I am not a girl!"

But the principal snatched it back. "No! Listen to me Kagome…there is no use hiding it now."

Souta's eyes widened. "Kagome? What does my sister have to do with this?"

"Everything…" The Onigumo guy sneered. Souta glared at him before anxiously staring at the crowd and the kendo players.

He took a deep breath. "Peoples…I can assure you that I am a guy!"

"Kagome please—"

"No!" he shouted, turning towards the principal. "Stop calling me by my sister's name! I'm not a girl!" Just when he thought things were going good with him and that mystery girl, they had to throw this stupid thing in his face. Seriously? They thought he was Kagome?! Where the hell did they come up with that?! Honestly…they would do anything these days to get him suspended!

"If you're not a girl, then prove it." Onigumo snapped, looking confident.

….prove it?

He smirked widely. An unspoken challenge from this asshole. Oh…he would prove it, with pleasure. "Fine."

Tsubaki and Onigumo laughed lightly, but Souta flipped them off. He knew he was right and they were wrong. Sure he might have been in touch with his feminine side more than others, but he knew who he was. He just couldn't wait to smack that smile off their faces. Slowly, almost to build up suspense, he cleared his throat…

…and pulled his pants down…

Okay…maybe in a situation like this there were numerous ways to prove such a thing, but then again, in a situation like this, Souta never did think things through. He stood there proudly, his hands on his hips, enjoying every second that they stared. A loud gasp went through the crowd over his actions, and a few girls whistled. Although, watching Onigumo's eyes jump out of his sockets was probably the best thing in the world.

"Okay! Okay! I think we got that!" Mr. Saito said frantically, stepping in front of Souta, trying to shield him from view. He was sweating quite profusely now…poor guy, so much to deal with in one day. Souta pulled his pants back up and fastened the armor back on.

Now Mr. Saito's previous anger was completely directed toward his two companions. His eyes were practically red with anger, his tiny form shaking with embarrassment and furry. Tsubaki shrank away, and Onigumo backed away slightly, trying to put up a brave front.

"You two…" he spoke dangerously low, pointing a finger at them. "Care to explain this?"

Tsubaki merely huffed in annoyance, crossing her arms and trying to ignore all those around her. Onigumo looked to be completely horror stricken over the past few minutes. He shook his head angrily before storming away. Tsubaki threw one last death glare toward Souta before following after Onigumo. Souta chuckled lowly. That rage in her eyes…he knew it was over between them. He had to hold back the urge to do a dance.

Master Totosai took a deep calming breath. "Is that all you need to inform us of principal?"

The principal nodded, looking deeply ashamed. "My apologies everyone. You may continue your tournament."

A cheer was heard from the crowd and all the games continued to get underway. Because they had interrupted in the middle of Inuyasha's duel, both coaches agreed to restart that duel entirely. Souta made his way back to his seat, but not before Inuyasha grazed his shoulder with his own.

"Showoff..." he muttered coldly before walking out on to the floor.

XxXxXx

'_Oh God…oh lord…oh please don't do what I think you're going to do. Please don't…don't do it, don't do it, don't do it—'_

A gasp from the crowd.

'_He did it…' _Kagome realized miserably, hiding her flaming face in her hands. Talk about male pride. Next to her, the girls were doing the complete opposite. It was hard to get a free peep show at the male anatomy sometimes and those girls were taking full advantage of it.

Naraku's pride seemed to have died with Souta's actions and Kagome couldn't help but snicker. Even the proud and relentless Tsubaki was at a loss. Kagome was certain that everyone was glad to see them go as they walked away. After that little…situation, the match continued. She cheered on her team, but one thing never escaped from her mind.

They had known.

She had been surprised to see all three of them, Mr. Saito, Onigumo and Tsubaki, come on to the court. And when they had confronted Souta about his masquerade, all hell seemed to break loose within her. The feeling of sheer humiliation and shame from her actions. Visions of Souta's angry face at her own when he found out the truth and was forced to live with the punishment. Horrible sights of Naraku's smug face as he seemed to get exactly what he wanted from her. And Inuyasha's face as he walked away from her. It was all so unexpected and just too much to take in.

She never would have considered that her plans would take her this far. She had gained a fair amount of enemies, new friends, one love, and too many confusing close calls to count. All and all, a great experience, but this close call had probably been the closest. Perhaps it was fate that allowed her to oversleep and evade all of this. And it was probably more than fate, most likely just dumb luck, which allowed Souta to weasel his way out of that one. Then again, maybe not. She didn't even think she would ever be able to get **that** image out of her head.

Naraku and Tsubaki had somewhat discovered her secret which meant that she couldn't continue her tirade much longer. There was no way she could keep this up now…not now that Souta was here, Inuyasha hated her, and Naraku and Tsubaki seemed to be watching her every step, waiting for her to mess up. After they won tournament she would come clean about everything.

She sighed. Yes…she had said 'they' instead of 'we' won. Once she figured out a way to switch back with Souta, she doubted that she would even get to see the court. Whatever Souta had screwed up in his previous match, now earned him a permanent place on the bench. Great…no wonder no one was speaking to him. It would take a miracle now for Master Totosai to let her play.

Of course that didn't mean she wasn't going to try. She didn't blame Souta for any of his stupidity…She could only blame herself.

The match finished, Shikon State being the winner. Inuyasha had won three hits to one and Miroku had finished off the match with a win in the last duel. They were moving up to the third round to play against Ganjou State School at 11:30. Then if they won that match, they would advance to the semi finals which would take place after lunch at 1:30.

Just as the Shikon boys were walking to the back room to rest, Kagome saw her opportunity. They walked by her, and she made sure to hide her face from view. Souta was the last one in line. Without even thinking, she came behind him and dragged him away toward the locker room. She ignored all his yelps, cries, and pathetic struggles. Once they were within the safety of the locker room, she finally released him.

"What the hell is your prob—" He stopped short when he saw her face. "Kagome?"

She nodded meekly. "Hey…"

"Wha—wha…why do you look like me?!" he cried in confusion. Hesitantly he reached his hand toward her and touched her face, retracting it when he realized she was really there. His eyes widened and he let out a startled gasp. She rolled her eyes.

"Quit acting like a baby…"

He snorted. "I think I have every right…" He leaned closer. "Care to explain all this?"

She pointed at him. "You weren't supposed to come back today."

"I know. I managed to catch an early flight and got here last night." He pushed her finger aside. "Stop avoiding my question. What is going on here?"

"We don't have time for this Souta." She admonished gently, but still firmly. "Basically what it all comes down to is that I disguised myself as you for the month so I could play kendo."

"What?!"

She winced. "Yes I know…horrible of me. We'll discuss this later, now give me my uniform!" She tugged on his shirt and yellow band, but he didn't budge, still preferring to stare at her.

"Wait…so you've been me this whole time!?"

"Yes Souta. I have basically been you this whole month. Trust me…it wasn't all that fun."

"Thanks a lot." He pulled off his padded armor and shirt. "I still can't believe you Kagome…" he said lightly.

"Well it's like they say…if you want to chase your dreams, sometimes you have to do crazy things."

He scoffed. "What idiot said that?"

"You did."

He blinked and then laughed. "Oh right." He pulled off the rest of the uniform, and she stripped as well, handing him her boy clothes. As she fastened her uniform on, he watched intently.

"What is it?" she asked, after feeling his stares for a while.

"So…did you cut your hair?"

"It's a wig stupid."

"Oh…"

They were silent for a few moments as Kagome finished putting on her uniform and Souta slipped her clothes on. He finally spoke.

"Hey…you wouldn't happen to have any…love interests here would you?"

She froze in mid-tie of her vest, her face already red. "Uh…well…"

"Cause you see…there's this girl. And last night she was kissing me and I swear I didn't…"

Kagome's mind only caught the last part. Her eyes widened immensely, the truth of everything coming to her. Last night? Kissing? Of course! Inuyasha…he had seen Souta kissing Kikyou and thought it was her! It all made sense! She knew it…she had never betrayed him like that. It was all just a huge misunderstanding. Relief washed though her. Now she just had to explain it to Inuyasha.

"Kagome?" Souta called, noticing her cat like state.

"Huh?" She snapped her head up. "Oh…so you were talking about her. Of course…uh…yeah…right, her name is Kikyou."

"Right…" Souta replied slowly, not missing her hesitation and word choice. "Who did you think I was talking about?"

She tried to hide her face, but it was too late. Her blush was evident and he smirked. "Kagome...Did you…have fun this month?" he said teasingly, an amused gleam coming to his face.

"Souta! How could you even think that Inuyasha and I—" she covered her mouth in shock but it was too late. She had already said it all.

"Inuyasha?!" Souta cried out, barely containing his laughter. "Inuyasha?! As in my roommate!? Aw Kagome…poor innocent Kagome…what happened to Kouga?"

"It's been over since you left."

He nodded. "I see." His smile returned. "So basically…you slept with Inuyasha all month, is that right?"

"Souta!!"

XxXxXx

She waited until the team came out of the back room before she made her return. She had made Souta promise he would stay out of sight and not go to Kikyou. After much deliberation, he had agreed. He would remain hidden as long as Kagome introduced them later. He was certainly stubborn like her…that's for sure.

The team came out at last. Carefully, she slipped back in to the group and walked back with them to the bench. Hopefully no one had noticed her absence. As they walked on to the arena, they still had a few more minutes until the game officially began. Even the other team had yet to arrive.

Kagome turned toward Master Totosai, gaining whatever ounce of courage she had left. Time to beg and pled her way back in to the game. She had to play. She wasn't going to leave unless he let her play. _'Well…here goes nothing.'_ Ignoring the rest of the team's stares, and one glare, she stood before the Master.

"Master Totosai…I'm ready to play."

He didn't bat one eye at her. "You disappoint me Souta. I don't think I've ever been wrong in a selection before."

"I know that, but you see…before…I wasn't myself. I was nervous, scared, not even sure if I was ready for all this." She spoke nothing but the truth. He finally turned toward her.

"True kendo players look at fear as a challenge."

"I understand Master Totosai, which is why I'm asking for one more chance. I know that I'm ready for this now, and even though I may be a little scared, I can accept it and endure it. I've learned so much, so please let me demonstrate that." She finished strongly, her eyes burning brightly again. His eyes bore through hers, searching for the truth in her statement. He didn't have to look far.

"Alright Souta."

The bell rang, signaling the first duel.

"You'll go first Souta." Kagome nodded, smiling brilliantly.

Inuyasha stood. "But Totosai—!"

The Master glared at him, and he shut his mouth, his scowl returning. She locked gazes with him and he glared at her. She sighed sadly. She had to explain everything to him later on. She had to make him smile again.

Kagome stepped out on to the floor, her arms and legs ready. She studied her opponent. Shinny so most likely flexible. Broad shoulders that were easy to hit which means he must have trained his speed. She gripped her shinai confidently. A familiar power of strength and determination filled her. She was ready, she would not lose.

The bell rang once more and he came at her, startling her with his speed. Already his shinai was raised for attack. Definitely an offensive fighter. He attacked and she dodged. Again, but she dodged, the heat in her muscles intensifying her speed. She waited for the opening.

And it came.

She brought her shinai down on his head, and he grunted.

"Point for Shikon!"

The crowd cheered.

Well that wasn't so bad. She looked toward Master Totosai to see him smiling at her. She felt her confidence soar. This was what she loved to do.

The referee blew his whistle, and she repositioned herself. He blew it again and she lunged forward. She could just see the boy's eyes widening under his mask. She had been on the defensive the entire time. Now she was ready to show him her speed. She came forward and swung. He dodged but barely, nearly tripping over just to avoid. She smirked.

Just as he got to his feet, she moved once more, but this time he did as well. They came at one another; their shinai's clashing against one another. She sidestepped to the right and tried to attack, but he moved and went for her shoulder. She missed it by a hair's breath. He stepped back, but she moved forward, and landed another hit on his shoulder.

The ref called for another point and Kagome smiled. On the other side of the court, the other coach was screaming his head off.

Oh yeah…this is what she loved to do.

XxXxXx

They were in deep shit.

"Come on Souta! Hang in there!" Master Totosai called. Inuyasha clenched his fists. This was becoming way too close.

They had made it through the third round; Souta's three hits to none duel fueling them all to win again Ganjou. Lunch break allowed for the four semi finalist teams to relax for the next matches. No doubt they would be intense. He had already checked the boards; Kyoto University was in the semi finals as well. Perhaps he would be able to battle Kouga in the finals.

Lunch had been far from pleasant. Not the food exactly, but more or less the company. He had seen Kikyou during one of his matches costing him a hit and a reprimand from Master Totosai. He had seen her again, but now could barely stand the sight of her. He didn't exactly feel anger toward her; it was more like confusion. Could Souta's words have actually been right?

No. He knew he couldn't think that. Souta was a liar, and so was Kagome. End of story.

What angered him more than anything during lunch was the fact that Souta kept trying to talk to him. Hadn't he made it clear that he didn't want to speak to him?! He didn't want to hear any more of Souta's bullshit excuses. He knew what he saw and no words, not even from Souta would cover that up.

"Focus Souta!" Miroku shouted. The bench was going crazy. Inuyasha just chose to keep a silent craze. It was the fifth duel of the semi finals. If they won this, they would be in the finals. He had just played and won, bringing a tie between the teams. Now it was Souta's turn. He had to win this.

It wasn't that Inuyasha doubted Souta's skills. Quite the opposite. He knew what Souta could do. He knew he was good. Sure that first game was one of the worst he had ever seen, but Souta had proved himself. He just didn't think it was completely fair that he got to play given his tardiness.

But, that wasn't the issue right now.

Somewhere during this game, Souta had been injured. His movements had slowed drastically and if it wasn't serious enough, they couldn't sub. Nerves wracked his body. Souta wasn't looking good out there.

He had played nothing but defense for the past few minutes, and had hardly swung his shinai. All he needed was one more hit and he would win the duel and the match. Unfortunately, that's what the other guy needed to.

The crowd 'oh' as Souta barely dodged another attack by his opponent. Both were tiring out, and Inuyasha knew it wouldn't last much longer.

"Patience Souta!" The team cried.

Souta took another deep breath and looked as if he was about to fall, but somehow managed to hold himself. Inuyasha mentally relaxed for the moment. He wasn't a second place runner for nothing. Both players stared each other down; both of them waiting to make a move.

Finally, the opponent lunged, bringing the wooden sword down. It was blocked by Souta's sword. Both of them pushed, relentless and strong, the wood of the swords nearly creaking under the pressure. For a moment, it looked as if Souta was falling back. But at the last second, and with a loud cry, Souta pushed his opponent back, causing an off balance. He swung his sword, smacking his opponent on the head.

The crowd cheered as the referee announced Shikon State the winner. The bench went mad, shouting happily as if they had just won the whole thing. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. He couldn't wait to see their cheers when they won the whole thing. Souta approached the bench, and pulled off his mask. His face was flushed and sweaty, but he looked happy none the less.

Their eyes locked once more, but this time, Inuyasha merely stared at him. Souta was the one to break the stare when Bankotsu ruffled his head.

"Excellent job Souta!" he shouted with a grin.

"Thanks." Master Totosai came forward and Souta smiled. "Not bad huh Totosai?"

The Master managed a quick smile before bringing his eyes to Souta's hand. "Show me your right wrist."

The smile instantly faded from his face. He clutched his wrist closer to his chest. "It's fine. I'm fine…"

He shook his head. "We're not stupid Souta. We all could tell that you injured it. Now show me your wrist."

Slowly, and reluctantly, he extended his hand out to the master. Totosai pulled off the gloves and winced at what he saw. His wrist was stiff and tinged with a purplish blue color. The entire team sighed and Souta tried to brush it off. "It's nothing really…no big deal." Master Totosai ignored him and pulled out some bandages from his bag. Carefully he began wrapping his wrist for support. Souta winced.

"You were limited with this injury Souta. Though it is a minor sprain, it will still hinder your performance."

"Are you saying I can't play?!"

"I didn't say that. I just said that this injury may not allow you to play to your fullest potential. We will see what happens." Souta growled and retracted his hand from the Master's hold.

"Fine."

Of course everyone knew that it was not fine. Sure they had enough players, but Souta was one of their stronger players. He just hoped they could get through this.

XxXxXx

At last, it was the final round. It was almost too good to be true.

The other team came out and Kagome gasped.

Kyoto University. Her school. Kouga's school.

How perfect…and yet cliché all at once. And yet, Kagome could not help but feel so glad. She narrowed her eyes in Kouga direction. He had that arrogant smirk as always, coming out in front. She saw his eyes lock with Inuyasha's and they hardened immediately. The fight they had had with one another was not far from their minds. Within Kagome's mind, she was screaming. Screaming at Kouga for all he did; screaming in excitement for all of this. Finally…she had reached this moment. And beating Kyoto University would be like the icing on the cake.

She saw Master Kaijimo take the floor and it took every ounce of her strength not to throw something at his face. He was one of the reasons why she was here now. Why she was fighting so hard to prove herself. For her and the other rejected kendo girls, this was everything. So much to gain, and nothing to lose.

One of the coordinators of the tournament stepped forward. "Ladies and gentlemen. After a long and hard day of battles and duels, we have finally reached this moment: the final round of the tournament. I wish to thank you all for coming today and making this event the best it could ever be. And now, without further ado, Shikon State University versus Kyoto University!" The crowd cheered. The man stepped aside and a referee appeared.

"This is the final round of the Osaki Tournament. Same rules apply. First to three hits wins the duel. First team to win three of the five duels wins the tournament. Will the captains of each team please step forward."

Kouga moved forward, smiling confidently and waving to the crowd. He stood in the center, his posture clearly stating his cockiness. Inuyasha stepped forward on to the court, but his face held no grin. He was serious, dead serious. He hated Kouga, and everyone in the gym probably knew this. They shook hands stiffly before the referee gave a short lecture about sportsmanship. Then they returned to their teams and the crowd went wild once again.

They all sat on the bench as Master Totosai walked in front of them. "I know I said this before, but I want to say it again. I know you will all do your best out there and represent your school with its finest. No matter what happens, know that I am proud of all the commitment and strength you all have shown."

Everyone nodded, a silent respect forming within them.

"Bankotsu, you're up first."

"Sweet." He stood up and everyone cheered.

And that's how the tournament began. When Kagome had been seven, she had swore to herself that nothing had been more exciting than when she saved that little bird with the broken wing. Of course, things were different now. From the start with Bankotsu's match, there was no doubt in her mind that this final battle would be the most exciting one yet. Every move, every attack that the players made had her on the edge of her seat, cheering her lungs out. She felt the thrill and the rush explode ten fold when ever someone would barely dodge, or the opponent would take a hit. It was indescribable.

Bankotsu barely made it through the first duel. Hojo followed, losing his, and then Mirkou lost his as well. Now Totosai had called Inuyasha to the arena to duel. They were down by one; there was just so much pressure, so much excitement riding on this match, Kagome almost couldn't contain herself.

Bam bam! Just like that Inuyasha was up by two hits. The guy would never cease to amaze her.

Thinking about him made her feel lighter than air sometimes, and yet heavy as stone at other times. When she was with him, sometimes she just wanted to speak her stubborn mind, or stay rooted to the spot, content to just stand next to him. Of course she couldn't explain this feeling. People had been trying to explain it for years and like hell she was going to try. She was just happy to have this feeling.

A shudder passed through her causing her eyes to sadden. How could she possibly forget? He hated her, and until she made it right, he would continue to hate her and Souta. And she didn't know if she could take that. Time was running short. She had to tell him. It was almost eating her inside; all this guilt and invisible burdens she seemed to take upon herself.

The crowd gasped.

She looked up immediately and her heart nearly stopped. Inuyasha was on the ground, practically motionless. He was struggling just to get up. _'What…no…why is he taking so long to get up?!' _He was never like this. He was invincible.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered. "Come on Inuyasha! Get up!" she shouted.

He looked at her briefly, before looking away, slowly stumbling to his feet. Everyone cried out once more, including the entire team. Inuyasha took a step and nearly tripped over it. He was in pain.

She couldn't take this.

This…being helpless and not being able to do anything. So she was injured…so what? She could still play. She still wanted to play. They were in the finals for goodness sakes! How could Master Totosai possibly expect her to sit here and do nothing!? She would rather die trying than lose from doing nothing.

She watched the match. Inuyasha was now tied with his opponent, both of them with two hits. Next one would decide it, whether they continued for one more, or Kyoto won it all. Across the way, Kouga was grinning madly. He thought they had them beat! How dare he!? Kagome's eyes flashed.

The next few minutes were agonizing for her. Time seemed to pass so much more slowly, with neither of the players making contact. So many close calls for both, and yet neither of them had taken the hit. Though his movements had slowed, Inuyasha still moved with speed that could rival anyone. But he was exhausted and even Kagome knew someone like him would tire out eventually.

But she knew…she knew Inuyasha would make it.

The two players continued to dance around one another, neither of them giving in. Finally, after another swing, the Kyoto player had given in. He swung and missed. Inuyasha saw the opportunity and took it. His opponent didn't even try to evade. Both were worn out, and she had no doubt that most of Inuyasha's weight, not strength, went in to that final blow.

"Winner of the duel goes to Shikon State!"

The crowd clapped. Now they were tied two duels to two. It was the final match.

Inuyasha walked off the court appearing almost half dead. Master Totosai patted him on the back proudly. "You did good Inuyasha. Didn't I tell you? All those mile runs really pay off!"

Inuyasha didn't even bother answering him.

"Ladies and gentlemen. We have reached the climax of our battle. Given this situation, we referees will allow a ten minute break for both teams to strategize their last players and rest."

Kagome let out a sigh of relief. They never did these unless it was really down to the wire. Slowly, the team walked to the back room to recuperate. Kagome followed behind Inuyasha who was in the back of the line.

"Nice job Inuyasha. You okay?" she knew he didn't want to speak to her, but she couldn't help it. She had to speak with him. Even all throughout lunch he had ignored her. Well not now. If she could just get an answer out of him, it would make her day; make her believe that maybe he didn't hate her as much as she thought.

"What the hell do you think?" His voice was so cold and harsh, almost as emotionless as his brother which terrified her even more. He gave her the most murderous glare he could muster before walking ahead.

At that moment, Kagome didn't know what came over her. Hell, she probably would never figure it out.

Seeing that look in his eyes sparked something within her; something that had been building up. It was a mixture between desperation, love, anger, and frustration. Mostly anger though… He didn't know the truth and he was being such a jerk about it. She was fed up with his glares and insults. It was time she threw it back at him.

She ran in front of him, halting his movements. "Wait just one second." She said in defiance.

He growled at her. "Move." She shook her head and his growls intensified.

"We need to talk."

"I said move."

"I know you're mad at me Inuyasha, but you need to understand—!"

He shoved her aside. "Get the hell away from me!"

Her eyes narrowed and she pushed back. "No! No! I'm not going anywhere until you listen to me!" She brought her face dangerously close to his, daring him to challenge her words. She could see the hate burning in his eyes, feeling his hot breath on her cheeks. He pushed her once more.

She saw his fingers flex at his side. "Move." He warned.

But she stayed. She wasn't letting him go, not until he understood everything. She wasn't going to lose him now.

"Listen to me Inuyasha! What you saw, that wasn't me! There is nothing going on between me and Kikyou!"

His eyes looked ready to kill, but Kagome met his glare with a strong one of her own. He wouldn't knock her down this time.

"Souta!"

Kagome whipped her head around toward the new voice. She groaned as the worst possible person began running toward her. In fact, most of the crowd had turned their attention toward them, interested to see what this fight was all about. Kagome's stomach dropped at the sight. She didn't need all these people watching them now!

Kikyou came up next to her with worried eyes. "Oh Souta, are you okay? Were you injured?" She reached for her right wrist, but Kagome pulled it back.

"Not now Kikyou!" She turned around. "Inuyasha—"

"How the hell can you stand there and tell me that there is nothing going on between you two?!"

"There isn't anything! I swear!" He snorted and crossed his arms. "Inuyasha!"

"What do you mean Souta? What about last night?!" Kikyou asked in a startled voice.

"Last night?!" Inuyasha barked, sarcasm with every word.

"No…Kikyou…Inuyasha… wait you guys don't understand!" she cried. This had just gone from bad to worse. She had one person who wanted to kill her and the other person looked as if she was going to faint. Oh God…how did it turn out like this?!

"Just stay away from me…" Inuyasha said. His voice was quieter now. More pained than every. Kagome could feel the tears welling in her eyes. He moved to walk away, but she grabbed his arm.

"No…Inuyasha wait." He paused for the briefest of seconds and that was all she needed. "I need to tell you something…"

"What? More lies?"

She winced, feeling every fiber of her being crumble within her. Was this really it? Was she really about to do this for him? She didn't want to lose him, but at the same time, she didn't want to lose all the tings she had gained.

"Souta…" Kikyou whispered fearfully, coming to grasp his arm lightly. She was torn. No matter what she did, someone would get hut.

"What is going on here?!" One of the referees stepped toward them. "I can hear you all screaming from the other side of the gym!"

She felt Inuyasha remove his arm from her hold. He looked away. "Nothing…"

The referee snorted. "Sure didn't sound like 'nothing'. You guys are causing a scene here and I want to know what's going on." Suddenly, his eyes caught something behind them. "Master Totosai. Thank goodness you're here."

Great…

The master approached, his team trailing behind them. "What's going on here?"

"Well coach…these two members of your team are causing quite a commotion here."

"Oh?" He looked toward Inuyasha who merely 'Keh'ed'. Then he brought his gaze to her. She gulped. "Souta? Tell us what's going on." He said firmly.

She could feel her world falling around her. Hundreds of eyes stared at her, awaiting her answer. This was it. This was the moment she had been dread. It was time to face the truth. No more lies. No more excuses. She had gotten herself in this mess, and it was about time she cleared the air.

She stepped back from them all, absorbing all their curious stares.

"I knew this moment would come, but I never knew it would come so soon or happen like this…"

"What are you talking about Souta?" Her master asked.

She took a deep breath. "I have something to tell you all…" Her eyes scanned the entire crowd, running over all her teammates, her master, the referee, and finally Inuyasha.

"I'm not Souta…I'm Kagome."

Everyone's jaw dropped. She could just feel the tension in the air and see the startled look in everyone's eyes. Whispers of complete surprise filtered throughout the group. But Inuyasha was staring at her, half in disbelief and half in utter shock. He stepped forward.

"No…" he denied. "No… you're not Kagome."

She sighed. "Yes…I am."

"No!" he nearly screamed, shaking his head. "I know Kagome…I've talked to her…danced with her…kissed her. You're not her."

Her eyes shined. "That was me Inuyasha. You talked to me, danced with me, and kissed me."

A few chuckles went throughout the group and Inuyasha glared at them all, his face flushing with embarrassment. "You're speaking nonsense." He finally muttered.

Kagome didn't know how much longer she could take their stares. Everyone looked at her as if she had just grown a second head. She felt, out of place, and weak. They didn't believe her. Inuyasha didn't believe her. She had to explain it all to them. There was no turning back.

"No I'm not Inuyasha. I've been Souta this whole time. I couldn't play kendo at Kyoto University so I came here…to try out for the boy's team while my brother was playing in New York."

Carefully, she pulled off her wig. Everyone gasped, seeing her long black hair falling freely down her shoulders. Master Totosai looked ready to faint, and Kikyou had both hands over her mouth. Inuyasha's eyes were wide as saucers. He swallowed harshly, taking in her form.

"Souta came home last night. He was the one who kissed Kikyou and he was the one who played in that first match." She informed with a smile. "Now do you believe me Inuyasha?"

He blinked a few times before frowning.

"Just because you wear a wig, that doesn't prove you're a girl."

….

What did he just say to her?

'_Seriously…that guy just doesn't think sometimes…'_

She rolled her eyes. If he wanted to be that way, then fine. She knew what to do that would shut him up.

"Okay then…" she said sweetly before pulling off her armor. "You want proof?" she challenged. He looked a little scared at that moment.

She lifted her shirt, exposing herself for everyone to see.

She really was just like Souta when it came down to it. Never thinking things through, doing everything impulsively, and of course, being bold enough. She drowned herself in all the eye popping stares everyone gave her. Her eyes brightened in amusement from the whispers and cat calls from the crowd. She smirked when Bankotsu hiccupped. And it took all she could to hold back a laugh from the look on Inuyasha's face. Was that sweat on his face?

"Sweet Jesus…" Miroku whispered.

Inuyasha cleared his throat pathetically. His mouth tried to form the words, but his body had suddenly gone as stiff as a statue. She couldn't help but notice the way his eyes lingered on her.

"Honestly Inuyasha…you are just like your friends." she said coyly, eyes only for him. She lowered her shirt. He sputtered out more useless words once more before his face flamed the darkest shade of red imaginable. She chuckled lowly in her throat.

"Alright…" she said cheerfully, clapping her hands together. "Everyone okay now?"

They all nodded.

"Wait a second." Kikyou jumped in. "If I kissed your brother, then where is he?"

Kagome's eyes widened. "Uh…well, you see…"

"Right here!" Lo and behold, her brother, looking as happy as ever, emerged out from behind the kendo boys. She couldn't have asked for better timing He stepped in to the center next to her. He grinned sheepishly at all the stares, and gave them all a wave.

Kagome looked toward Inuyasha, seeing the torment on his face. Her eyes softened. "Now do you understand Inuyasha?"

"You've been lying to me this whole time." He said sharply, the realization of it all crashing down on him. She gasped.

"No…no that's not it…" she tried.

"Yes it is. Everything you said to me has been a lie." The scowl on his face had returned. If anything, he looked even more enraged than before.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, tears coming to her eyes. She had hoped to sort all this out with the truth, but now she realized it would take more than that. She had betrayed him in every way possible. The look in his eyes confirmed it.

He scoffed. "I don't even know you! How do I even know you are telling the truth to me right now?!" he yelled infuriated.

"Inuyasha! Chill out man!" Bankotsu cut in.

"Yeah! She said she was sorry!"

"Keh. Doesn't matter." He looked away from her. "Apparently none of it has ever mattered."

Tears were falling freely now. Her heart was breaking with every one of his words. He hated her. He didn't forgive her. But then again, did she really expect him to? She had done a horrible thing to him. And for someone like him…being Inuyasha Takahashi, no doubt he was used to all the lies. But that didn't make it any better for him or her. She couldn't lose him now.

He made a move to walk away, and desperation seized her.

"Beef ramen!"

He stared at her, confused. "What?"

She managed a smile. "Beef ramen is my favorite flavor. That wasn't a lie. I really do love that stuff."

He remained silent and she continued.

"I really am bad at directions. I am a huge fan of Eiga Naoki. I really was scared when we were on your motorcycle. I'm not a morning person and I've never been to the beach. Those weren't lies" Something flickered in his eyes and she beamed.

"I love to play kendo more than anything, and sometimes I could play all day. I'm not all that great with tools. Twenty questions is a great game and super strength isn't everything. I had never been to Miuchi before. You really do have pretty eyes." He blushed, but she wasn't done yet…her courage was growing; she had never felt more alive.

"I am somewhat of an expert when it comes to girls. I do want to be able to teleport to any place I want. I have always wanted to go in to a fortune teller's tent. Those weren't lies. And you want to know what else is true?" She smiled and locked gazes with him. "I never loved Kikyou…never in the way I love you."

Everyone turned toward Inuyasha, waiting for him to speak. The redness of his cheeks had disappeared and he was staring at her with the most startled look in his eyes. He didn't say a word. Words failed him. What could he possibly say? She had just poured her heart out to him.

"Inuyasha?" she inquired. He seemed to flinch as she said his name.

Suddenly, a second referee had appeared next to the group. "I hate to break you guys up like this, but we have a tournament to get to." He explained earnestly.

Master Totosai cleared his throat. "Oh yes…of course. We'll be right there."

The referee nodded. "We'll give you three minutes. Kyoto University has already taken the floor. Their chosen fighter is Kouga Ookami." He walked away.

Kagome gasped. Of course…how could she possibly expect any one other than him to play? She turned pleading eyes toward Master Totosai. She had to play against him. Beating Kouga was the reason she had come here in the first place.

"Master Totosai…please let me play." She begged. He smiled at her.

"I'm afraid Kagome…this is out of my hands." She looked puzzled and he continued. "I have brought you guys here as a team to compete. I have given you all that I can, but in the end, it was not I who made you all who you are today. You are all a team. You make decisions as a team. I no longer have a say. This is for your captain and your team to decide." His eyes flickered to Inuyasha and Kagome turned around.

She ran up to him. His eyes were downcast. "Inuyasha…I'll say it a thousand times. I'm sorry. But please…let me do this."

He finally looked up at her, his eyes full of emotion. He knew it as much as she did. She wanted this. She needed this. What Kouga had done to her…she had to give it back to him. Prove herself to him and Master Kaijimo.

"You're hurt." He muttered reasonably.

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I can play." She looked around at all the other players to see if they objected. They didn't. They all smiled at her, encouraging her. She had never felt so strong.

He remained silent once more.

"Inuyasha?" she said weakly. Her final plea.

He sighed, but didn't say a word. Slowly, he reached for the sword that hung on his hip. The Tetsusaiga. He handed it to her without a word. She grasped it, feeling its power and meaning fill her. It was his sword. She looked in to his eyes, seeing her strength and his reflected in them.

"Thank you."

He walked past her, toward the bench. The team followed him, giving Kagome pat on the backs and words of support. Even Kikyou had wished her good luck before going back to the stands and Souta gave her a hug. She thanked them all, her heart feeling full once more. He was letting her play. He didn't completely hate her. That alone was enough to make her stronger.

She walked on to the floor, grabbing her mask in the process. Before she could pull it on, her opponent cried out.

"Kagome?!" Kouga cried in horror.

She smirked at him. "Hey baby…"

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

She straightened out her gloves nonchalantly. "Playing."

"What the hell is she doing here?! She can't play!" Master Kaijimbo had taken the floor. He was shouting to the referees and pointing obscenely at her. How rude…

The referees looked toward one another in confusion. Master Kaijimbo snarled at the lack of effort and pulled out his rules book.

"That bitch can't play. It's against the rules!"

Kagome was about two steps away from speaking, when Master Totosai stepped forward.

"I believe foul mouthing to the other players is against the rules as well. So I suppose we're even then." He said smugly. The other master growled.

"She still can't play! She's a girl!"

Master Totosai's eyes hardened. "Here at Shikon State, we never discriminate against gender. And we never back away from a challenge…" he said in an almost teasing manner.

Kaijimbo blinked. "Challenge? You think beating her will be a challenge?" He laughed loudly, followed by a snicker from Kouga. Oh how Kagome hated them.

"If you're afraid then I can understand…"

"No." Master Kaijimbo smiled. "No actually it's fine. As long as we both agree to the terms, then it is fine. Let's start this match."

Master Totosaid nodded. Both of them walked back to their respective benches. Kagome shot a grateful look toward her master and he winked. She pulled on her mask, and readied herself.

"The final match between Shikon State and Kyoto University will now begin!" The crowd cheered.

Kagome took a moment to calm herself. She could do this. She was stronger now. She could beat Kouga. She would beat Kouga. Her determined spirit surrounded her once more and she sighed excitedly. She gripped Inuyasha's sword tightly in her woven hands, admiring the strength it seemed to give her.

Amused blue eyes stared back at her. "Are you sure you really want to do this baby?"

"Absolutely." She answered and he smiled. He thought this was going to be easy? Keh.

The bell rang.

Neither of them moved. Silence filled the gym, everyone on the edge of their seats.

"Kagome..." Kouga whispered, speaking her name in a taunting voice. "Come on Kagome…"

But she didn't move. She wouldn't let her anger get the best of her like last time. She was better than that.

He came at her suddenly, faster than ever before. Her eyes widened in surprise and she jumped to the side, barely avoiding his hit. _'Looks like he improved a bit…' _Again he came at her swinging his shinai in clean bold strokes, and she avoided them all. She could feel her adrenaline pumping, and could see his frustration building.

He swung, but this time she blocked him, their swords clashing loudly. They pushed, the force of their strength almost bringing them to their knees. He let out a mighty cry, and suddenly, his strength seemed to grow until he was pushing her almost off balance. She held her ground bravely, refusing to be pushed down.

"Hang in there Kagome!" she heard Miroku shout, followed by cheers from the rest of her team. Her muscles tensed even more. She didn't know how much longer she could hold him off. He was stronger than her.

Thinking fast, she dived to the left, barely avoiding his shinai as it crashed to the ground behind her. He stumbled off balance and she took her chance, bringing her sword down.

"Point for Shikon!"

"Way to go Kagome!" she heard Shippo shout.

The crowd went wild and she grinned. She could barely hear herself think, now that the crowd was going crazy, their incomprehensible shouts blending together. She took a deep breath, relaxing herself. One down, two to go. She could do this.

Kouga repositioned himself before her. She could almost see his piercing blue eyes staring at her with hate. To think that those eyes had once gazed at her fondly, and now…with pure disgust. She cracked her neck, her stance stronger than ever.

The bell rang once more, and she was off, charging at him with undeniable speed. He was caught off guard, barely having a second to raise his sword in defense. He thought she was a 'second to move' player? Not any more. She hefted three striking blows and he deflected each one. Twice he came at her, but she stopped him with ease.

With ease…Kouga was never one to make things easy. _'What's he up to?'_

She didn't wait long to figure it out. Once more he came at her and their shinai's pounded against one another. He pushed, and she defended. Their faces were mere inches apart. She swore she could hear his heavy breathing. Was he trying to throw her off balance again? Surely he knew how that would work. She was about to dive out of the way once more when it happened.

With a surprising burst of strength, he shoved her with his left shoulder, throwing her equilibrium off balance. He struck her.

"Point for Kyoto!" A small portion of the crowd cheered this time, while the rest groaned. She slowly stood. That had been a dirty move, only fitting for Kouga. She growled. On the bench, she saw Master Totosai and the team's eyes harden.

She steadied her shinai in front of her, her right wrist tingling slightly. The support bandage wouldn't last much longer. She had to win this before she overdid it and it got too difficult. With a mighty cry, she came at him once more.

They came at each other relentlessly, neither of them landing blows or letting up. It was practically adrenaline that kept her going. Okay…maybe Master Totosai'd mile runs had helped. She barely dodged another assault when a plan hit her. Figuratively of course…

She moved forward once more, aiming the shinai at his head in a perfectly straight vertical swing. He predicted it easily, holding up his sword in defense. She smiled. As her sword came down, she batted his away at the last second. With his defense gone, she attacked his right shoulder.

The referee announced another point for Shikon and her eyes lit up once more. She just needed one more point to win this! The air around her immediately tensed, the pressure of the situation falling upon her. Yeah she needed one more, but sometimes, that was a lot to ask for. Setting her lip determinedly, she braced herself.

He attacked with an obvious vertical swing for her shoulder. Was he copying her previous attack? She blocked it with ease, expecting him to fend her off and strike. But he didn't. He let her block him, no extra strength going in to his blow. Then, unexpectedly, he swung horizontally.

His sword knocked the wind out of her, landing a harsh blow to her throat. The air seeped out of her lunges, rendering her breathless and choking. She took a few steps back, her hand coming to her aching throat. She could practically see his smirk.

"Damn it ref! That's an illegal hit!"

"Watch your tongue Takahashi!" The referee shot back. Inuyasha glared at him, but didn't sit down. The entire team was on their feet by now, looking at her in worry. She coughed and the referee raised his hand.

"No point! Illegal hit!" he lowered his hand. "Watch yourself Ookami." He warned.

Kouga shrugged. "My bad…" he said innocently.

The bell rang once more, restarting the players. He came at her again and she sucked in a breath. A spasm of pain ranked her body as she felt her throat tighten from the previous blow. She weakly fended off his first strike, but the second one grazed her shoulder.

"Point for Kyoto!"

She clutched at her throat once more, trying to ease her breathing and get air in to her lungs once more. Hopefully, she could make it to the end of the game. She wouldn't let Kouga's underhanded moves knock her out. She cleared her throat and attacked.

Once more they were at a standstill, neither of them letting up. With just one more hit to win, neither of them were backing down. She moved and he moved with her. He attacked and he blocked. It was almost becoming routine. She couldn't stand it anymore. Someone had to win this. She had to win this.

He made the offensive, going for her shoulder as she blocked. Harder they pushed, their shinai's cracking from the intensity. His weight became his weapon and she nearly crumbled under it, her wrist throbbing. With one more push, he was off her. She held her sword in front her and let out a cry of pain. That last one at pushed her sprained wrist to the limit. She heard her team gasp. They knew it too.

What was bad was that Kouga knew it as well.

He didn't waste a second, charging forward. As he moved, time seemed to slow. How could she possibly fend him off with one good wrist? How?! His shinai raised and fell, aimed toward her head. With her left hand, she blocked, her arm screaming in protest with the use of her less dominant hand. He applied more pressure, and she nearly sank to her knees.

Her head cranked up, practically seeing through that mask of his. He thought he was going to win? Like hell.

Inspiration and instincts hit her.

Determination fueled.

In one final ounce of strength she moved and both of them falling forward with their momentum, their swords hitting the ground. Swiftly, her hand slid down to her sword's tip, and she flipped her sword around, the hilt now at the top. She brought it down, closing her eyes.

Contact.

"Point for Shikon State!"

She opened her eyes. Her ears didn't deceive her. She…she had won. The crowd was in an uproar, cheers and applause echoing off the walls with tremendous volume. She couldn't believe it. She…had won. She beat Kaijimbo. She beat Kouga. They were the champions.

She pulled off her mask, barely having a second to cry out as her team came running toward her in full speed. They bombarded her with high fives, shouts of delight, and many hugs. Her ears didn't know how much more they could take. She smiled brilliantly.

"I won!"

"Hell yeah you did! We won! Woot!" Miroku cheered. The rest of the team hooted along with him, all of them suddenly doing some crazy dances. Kagome laughed, doing one of her own. She had never felt more alive. Never so happy in her life.

A man appeared next to them, big golden trophy in hand. "I am pleased to announce this year's winners of the Osaki Tournament: Shikon State University!"

The crowd went insane, many of them stampeding out of the stands and on to the floor. They ran toward the team congratulating them all. Kagome didn't even know they could scream so loud. Across the court, Kouga was walking away stiffly with Master Kaijimo yelling in his ears. She snickered, feeling an abundance of pride hit her. She caught Master Totosai's gaze and he smiled before walking away to do his own form of celebration. "Thank you…" she whispered.

Someone embraced her from behind. "Kagome! You did it!"

She met her brother's brilliant smile with her own. "I know!" she cried, throwing her arms in the air. She yelled it to the heavens. Her brother suddenly stopped dancing next to her and she looked up.

Kikyou was there, looking oh so terribly shy. "Congratulations Kagome…"

Kagome beamed at her. "Thanks." Then, with a sly smile, she grabbed her brother's hand, dragging him towards her. He was mumbling protests under his breath, but she ignored them. Kikyou blushed brightly as Souta stood before her.

"Kikyou…may I introduce my brother Souta. He's uh…my twin." She added sheepishly.

She nodded, her eyes shining. Souta smirked before taking her hand and walking off with her. Kagome sighed happily. Behind her, she heard more shouts of excitement.

"Miroku! I love you!" She spun around just in time to see a very excited Sango jump in to the waiting arms of Miroku. He smiled devilishly before kissing her on the lips. Kagome chuckled, a little shocked to see them like this, but at the same time, she felt very content.

Well…almost content.

Desperately her eyes sought Inuyasha. She found him, talking to Master Totosai. After a few seconds, the master walked away. His golden eyes locked with hers.

They were neither happy nor sad. He just looked at her as if memorizing her entire being, recalling all she had said to him. Her heart reached out to him, hoping he would catch it. He was so far away just like in her dream. She had given him the truth and all she could hope for was his forgiveness. She gave him a small, loving smile.

He walked away.

Her heart fell to the floor.

Suddenly, all of this…didn't feel right. It felt horrible. She was confused. Surely he didn't hate her. But he probably didn't forgive her. Her heart crushed at the thought. She loved him so much. She knew she shouldn't have gotten her hopes up. Tears cascaded down her cheeks once more.

"You okay Kagome?" Miroku and Bankotsu had suddenly appeared next to her. They had seen Inuyasha leave, but didn't say anything of it. She was grateful for that.

She managed a watery smile. "I'm fine…" she replied and walked away.

She cried all night.

XxXxXx

Inspiration hit me beautifully in this chapter. I don't think I have never been so proud of one chapter. Everything turned out better than I expected. I just hope I didn't let any of you down. Like I said, I'm going on a two week vacation thing so an update might not come for another two weeks. Maybe if I get more inspiration, I will get it out by late next week. I'll definitely try.

Thank you all so much for you encouraging words and support. They all mean so much to me! We've just got one more chapter to go to wrap everything up. Then maybe an epilogue.

Before you ask…yes the scene with Souta and Kagome showing off their stuff does happen in the movie. How could I possibly leave such classic moments out of my story! Hope I satisfied all you fans out there!

I love you guys!


	23. The First Step

"Kagome! Kagome dear…how about this one! I'm sure it would look absolutely wonderful on you!"

No answer.

"Well…how about this one?" her mother tried once more, holding up a peach colored strapless one. "This is the same color that I wore when I graduated. Isn't it lovely?"

At her daughter's shrug, the woman sighed heavily.

"Kagome…can't you at least try to be excited about all this?" But Kagome remained silent, still lost in her own thoughts.

"I'm sorry mom…" she answered sincerely.

Her mother's shoulders dropped. "It's fine dear. We still have plenty of time to look around. I'll just go put this one back and look for some more." She walked back toward the racks, leaving Kagome alone with her thoughts.

Naturally coming dress shopping with her mother had been the last thing on her mind, but her mother had insisted upon it, especially with the graduation tomorrow. She needed some fresh air and excitement instead of just moping around the house eating that double chunky chocolate fudge ice cream. Unfortunately, the graduation had been pushed back to Friday, meaning Kagome had about a week's worth of ice cream in her stomach and much more time to grovel over the event. At least the ice cream had made her feel better.

She couldn't stop thinking about him. These past few night had been horrible; tossing and turning in her sleep with her mind filling with guilt and regret. Sometimes she would wake up in the morning hoping it had all been a dream and that Inuyasha still thought she was Souta. If only she hadn't said anything in the tournament.

It made her sick inside to know that he must hate her for all she had done to him. All his secrets he had shared with her and for what? For her to not even have the courage to tell him hers? Pathetic. She had felt so much for him that she was afraid to lose all that. But she knew better than anyone that trust was one of the most important parts in any relationship.

Her mother finally returned. "Let's go to the second floor." She insisted. Together they walked and Kagome was bombarded with yet more dresses of the brightest colors and fashions. She tried to put out an effort for her mother, but her strength these days seemed so limited and lackluster.

'_I need to get over this._ _ I screwed up and now I need to focus on what's most important.' _She would never get anything done just by being depressed all day. Taking a deep breath she stood to scour the dress with her mother. Her mother face lit up, and she smiled.

Less than an hour went by, and Kagome thought the day would never end. She had selected a few dresses she would be able to bear, but none of them had truly satisfied her. As much as she disliked the whole geisha thing, she still wanted to look nice for it. She owed her mom at least that.

Suddenly, Kagome saw a woman walking through the store. A very familiar woman in fact…

"Kikyou?" she called. The woman in question spun around. It was indeed her. She gave Kagome a gentle smile before walking over.

"Hello Kagome. How are you?"

"I've…been better." She replied tiredly. Something flickered in Kikyou's gaze and Kagome knew exactly what she was thinking.

"I see. Are you here doing some last minute shopping for the graduation?"

"Yeah. I still need my dress."

Kikyou giggled. "Waiting till the last minute?"

"Of course." Both erupted in laughter, the tension between them dropping. Kagome noticed a few bags in Kikyou's hands as well.

"Are you…doing some last minute shopping?" she said, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice.

Kikyou glanced down at her bags as if just realizing they were there. "Oh…yes. Just a few accessories. I got my dress a few weeks ago."

Kagome was about to speak when her mother approached with yet another dress. She nearly fainted. The dress was a modest V neck with layers of beads running along the shoulder straps in a diagonal fashion. It would have been a lovely dress. If not for the fact it was pink. Not just any pink, but the brightest, most neon pink Kagome had ever seen.

"No." she said flatly, before her mother got a word out.

Her mother sighed in defeat. "And I was sure this one was the winner." She walked away.

Kikyou's eyes slid toward hers in the most amused way. "Having a little trouble?"

"How could you tell?" Kagome replied sarcastically.

Kikyou smiled humorlessly and glanced around the store. "I'm sure the perfect dress is here somewhere."

"I hope so."

Kikyou's eyes suddenly lit up. "Hey…I've got time. Would you like me to help you find one?"

She gasped. Well she hadn't been expecting that. But then again, how could she not expect such a kind gesture from Kikyou. She could definitely help speed things up. "That would be great. Thanks."

"No problem." Kikyou didn't waste a second, immediately attacking one of the racks, scanning each one with a hawk's eye. They both went through the rest of the floor before moving on to the third one. Kagome had never seen Kikyou move so fast. It was a little frightening.

"How's…uh…school?" She didn't know what prompted her to ask that. She supposed she just needed something to fill the silent void. Or maybe she just wanted to start talking before her mind wandered elsewhere. Of course, the school may not have been a good place to start.

Kikyou didn't falter in her search. "It's fine. Same old work. Ms. Fujimoto is as crazy as always." She replied, trying to add humor.

"Oh…how's Souta doing? Is he adjusting well?"

"He's fine." Kikyou said and then paused. "He really likes music."

Kagome laughed. She knew all too well. "That sounds like him."

"Indeed. Not that he's a bad musician. He's wonderful really. I just worry about his classes." She rolled her eyes at her words. "He can be so sweet sometimes, but in terms of school, he's such a slacker. He plays his guitar all the time. I bet even Inuyasha gets anno—" She froze, realizing where her words had gone. Her startled eyes widened, but Kagome looked away, pretending to examine more dresses.

She laughed weakly. "Yeah…we are kind of opposite in that way."

The atmosphere had transformed instantly with those few spoken words. Both remained silent, preferring to search quietly. But inside, Kagome could feel herself beginning to break down again. Just when she had him off her mind, he was back, always haunting her.

"He looks tired all the time."

Kagome head snapped up. "Huh?"

"Inuyasha. I've seen him in class and in the halls. He always looks tired, and…hasn't really been himself." Kikyou explained softly.

"Oh." She replied, her words not even displaying a fraction of what she was really feeling. Inuyasha…he was tired. He looked tired. Was it because of her? Guilt filled her once more, and she held back the tears.

"I think he misses you."

Kagome shook her head in disbelief. "I doubt that. You didn't see the way he looked at me that day." Kagome knew it couldn't be anything close to affection. She had to accept that before her heart broke any more. He hated her.

Of course there was still the chance that…

'_No…' _she realized sadly. _'He hasn't…and he probably won't.'_

"Have you spoken to him…since…?"

"No."

Kikyou's face fell. "I'm sorry…for asking."

She took a deep, shaky breath, her pain almost engulfing her. "I-It's fine…"

Kikyou nodded, deciding not to pry any further. Kagome was glad. After a few more minutes of looking, Kagome had nearly just about given up. She was tired, her heart felt broken, and she didn't think she had the energy to look anymore. She sat down in a chair, watching Kikyou's figure dart between the aisles. Soon, she approached her with two dresses in each arm.

"What do you think of these?"

Kagome gasped.

Both were absolutely stunning. In her left hand she held a dark blue dress that faded to a lighter blue at the bottom. The fabric looked almost like water, the way it flowed and bunched up at her hip. It was strapless with small swirl patterns along the edges of the top. In her right hand was a deep red dress; rich in color and fabric. This one was a halter top, the V neck a little lower than what she was used to. Other than the designs on the bottom of the dress, the rest was fairly simple. Still, it's bare, but bold red color made Kagome's eyes shine.

"Kikyou. They're both…" she was speechless.

She grinned. "I know they're both great, but which one do you like more? Personally, I think the blue looks better, but the red is really sexy." She added with a wink.

Kagome bit her lip. No doubt that both of them were beautiful. It wouldn't matter which one she picked; both of them would made her look amazing. She loved the colors on both and the designs as well. So which one would she pick?

"Kagome?"

She knew. One of them stood out to her more. Made her heart soar just a little higher.

XxXxXx

Life sucked.

Not that it had been much better before…but now it was just really…crappy.

He sighed for the umpteenth time that day and tossed his sports magazine aside. Thing was way too boring anyway. Why had he even started reading it in the first place? He wrung his fingers nervously. He had to do something. Anything really… Didn't he need to be somewhere? Finish something important?! Surely there was something…

Nope nothing…why couldn't he have anything to do right now? Where were his stupid perverted friends when he needed them?! He wanted…no needed to do something. Anything to get his mind off…her.

Almost everyone had noticed it by now. He wasn't stupid. He caught all the confused and worried glances sent his way. He ignored them all of course. He didn't need pity. What he needed was…peace of mind or something. Even kendo didn't feel right anymore. He couldn't focus, and Master Totosai was harping on him more than ever. Hell, even Hojo beat him in a match and that never happened. That alone was just sad.

Sleep didn't come easily anymore. Her words rang in his head endlessly, filling him with such conflicting emotions. He had felt the anger at first. Anger over the deception and lies. Anger over revealing so much and getting nothing back. It felt just like with his father.

And now he just felt confused, mostly over her confession to him. She had meant it. He was almost certain she had meant what she said. Her eyes…couldn't lie. And that alone was enough to make his heart jump out of his chest. But of course…there was still the doubt. And fear.

The door opened and in walked Souta.

Things hadn't been completely disastrous with his roommate, but they hadn't been exactly smooth either. He still couldn't help but feel a little...awkward being around him. Souta probably could feel it too, but he never spoke of it. He just minded his own business, and Inuyasha was grateful.

"Hey Inuyasha." Souta called pleasantly, looking a little hesitant.

"Hey…"

"Got something for you." From behind his back he revealed the Tetsusaiga.

"Oh…thanks." He hadn't been expecting that. He grabbed the sword, his fingers tingling under its touch. This had been the sword it kick Kouga's ass. He grinned.

"There's uh…one more thing."

He looked up and in his hands was a small white letter.

…a letter?

He eyed it curiously, almost fearfully and Souta nudged it toward, urging him to grab it. On the front was his name, no question about that. First the sword and now this letter? He grabbed it and flipped it over a few times, inspecting it.

Souta whistled lowly. "Okay then…I'll see you later." He walked out. No doubt it was from her. Who else would it be? He didn't know what to think anymore. Bracing himself for anything, he opened it.

There was a short note. Or more specifically, an invitation typed in fancy calligraphy. He read.

_Greetings,_

_The Geisha Ladies Organization would like to invite you to our Geisha Lades Graduation this Friday at the Cherry Blossom Hotel. It will begin promptly at 6:30pm and dinner/dancing will start at 7pm. Dress is formal. Please be there early. We would be honored if you would attend this joyous event and witness the graduation of our fine young ladies._

_We hope to see you there._

_Sincerely,_

_The Geisha Board_

He rubbed his forehead tiredly, another sigh escaping from his lips.

'_Kagome…'_

XxXxXx

The Geisha Ladies Graduation Ceremony was absolutely amazing. Kagome had no doubt that Lady Izayoi had gone all out. Everything was decorated in pure white, making all of the gowns and suits stand out perfectly. Fancy drapes and flowers adorned the stage. Numerous tables surrounded the 'cat walk' stage and already, people were starting to fill them. Already, Kagome could feel her nerves building up.

Every girl back stage looked stunning in their dresses, all of them whispering excited words to one another, while the stage hands ran around frantically.

She felt a prick and her side and let out a low yelp. Her mother steadied her. "Hold still Kagome. I've just got a few more pins to put in."

Her mother stuck a few more in and Kagome held back the urge to wince. She ran her fingers along the sides of the dress straightening out any wrinkles. Once her mother finished with the pins, she would be done and ready to walk out there. Out there with all the lights on her, all the people staring, cameras flashing…she shivered at the thought. She just hoped she didn't fall.

Someone tapped her on the shoulder and she turned around. Her new arrival clicked his tongue approvingly. "Not bad sis." She moved to slap him but Kikyou beat her to it. Souta pouted and Kikyou rolled her eyes.

She looked absolutely stunning as well. Unlike Kagome with her hair casually down, Kikyou's hair was up in an elegant bun, with a few curls hanging loosely down. Her dress was a sparkling purple color with layers of lighter shades underneath. She smiled with brilliant white teeth.

"You look amazing Kagome. And like I said: sexy." She purred with a grin.

"You look great too Kikyou. And you were absolutely right about this dress." Kagome agreed, swaying her body to accent her red dress. Her mother cleared her throat in frustration and held her still.

"What made you choose this one?" Kikyou asked.

Someone flashed in to her mind. "No reason."

She nodded. "Well, I'll see you later Kagome. Come on Souta." She ordered. Firmly, she tugged him off with her.

"Don't trip Kagome!" he shouted over his shoulder and Kagome took a menacing step forward, only to be stopped by her mother again. He smirked. Great, now she was jinxed.

"Kagome…please hold still. I'm almost done." Her mother chastised. Kagome sighed, and stood still as a statue, waiting impatiently for her mother to finish. Meanwhile, Lady Izayoi had appeared and was ushering everyone to their correct positions. Most of the girls were ready by now with their escorts nearby. Kagome's face saddened slightly at the thought, but she held back the tears.

Her mother stuck the last pin in to her dress. Stepping back to admire her daughter, her eyes shined. "Oh Kagome…you look beautiful. I am so proud of you. Now remember. When you walk out, smile a lot, and don't trip."

Double jinxed.

Her mother suddenly pulled out a small handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed at Kagome's eyes. Guess she hadn't held back the tears as well as she thought. She blinked the remaining ones away and her mother touched her cheek.

"You look beautiful Kagome." Her mother repeated. "And you don't need a man to look beautiful in that dress."

Kagome sucked in a breath. Unable to contain it any longer, she jumped forward and embraced her mother. Her mother kissed her on the cheek, fresh tears springing in to her own eyes as well. "Thanks mom." She whispered. Her mother gave her a loving smile and walked off.

"But it doesn't hurt to have a man."

She wiped around. "Jakotsu!" she cried. She noted with surprise that he was wearing a tux. And he looked pretty dashing in it which was quite a surprise for someone like him.

He hugged her tightly. "Kagome dear, you look fabulous!"

"Thanks. Are you here alone?"

"Of course not! You think I can't find myself a date?"

She burst out laughing. "Oh of course Jakotsu. My mistake. Who is it?"

He hushed her. "That's my secret. And enough about me. I came here for you!" He got down on one knee and she nearly fainted. What on earth was he doing? "My dear Kagome, I would be honored to be your escort this evening."

Her hand came up to touch her chest. She had never felt so touched and thankful in her life. A golden smile came to her lips as she reached for his hand.

"Jakotsu…I don't know what to say. Thank you…so much." She said softly.

He grinned. "It is my pleasure Kagome."

Slowly, she pulled him up. "But…" she began and his eyes narrowed in confusion. "I'm…waiting for someone."

His eyes widened and she saw complete understanding swirling in them. He smiled encouragingly. "Of course Kagome. But know that I'm right here if you need me."

"Thank you." She replied, kissing him on the cheek. He giggled like a drunken man and walked off.

She sighed tiredly. He wasn't here yet. But she knew he would come. He had to come. If he didn't come, then he really truly hated her. And she didn't know if she could take that. She walked over to the stage curtains, peeking out from behind them. Outside she saw most of the seats already filled. The invitation had requested the guests to arrive early, so why was he not here? Her eyes locked with the main entrance, but she saw no sign of the gold.

She waited. She prayed that he would come. If he came, she would beg him to do this, even if he hated her. It would mean so much if he did this. She knew she couldn't force him, but she had come this far and she knew she had to try. Her eyes continued to stare at the entrance, the seconds ticking by.

"It's almost 6:30 ladies! Please get in position!" someone called out.

She didn't budge. Still her eyes remained on those double doors, practically imagining him walking through. She waited and waited. _'He's coming. He's coming.' _She chanted in her head. Seconds ticked by. The entrance remained empty. The graduation soon began, but she barely heard the speech that Lady Izayoi made. She blocked out all other sounds. Only her eyes worked at that moment. Minutes ticked by.

Jakotsu touched her shoulder. "Kagome... They're calling out the names. There's no more time."

"No…" she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "He's coming. Just wait a little longer…"

He sighed. "Kagome…I'm sorry." He tugged her a little harder. "But it's almost your turn. We have to go."

She barely heard the other names being called. She barely heard the applause and cheers for each lady. She barely heard Jakotsu's voice, up until the last minute. _'He's coming. He's going to be here any second…' _Her heart cried out.

She waited for him.

But he didn't come.

XxXxXx

"He's dead."

The entire table gasped.

"What? How is that possible!?"

"Well…he was on his motorcycle and he suddenly spun out of control and crashed!"

They all gasped once more and Kagome choked on her water.

"No way! You're lying!" One of the girls accused.

"I am not lying! I saw it myself! There was blood and smoke everywhere!"

Kagome paled considerably.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "Of course I am." Her eyes suddenly saddened. "Such a shame too, he never got to tell her he loved her."

A few sniffles were heard around the table.

"What…what happened to her?" another girl questioned.

The girl's eyes suddenly grew wide. "The craziest thing happened! Turns out that she never loved him! She was having sex with his older brother the whole time! What a twist! I swear I never saw that coming! I mean it was comple—hey are you okay Kagome?"

Her knee had banged savagely on the table causing all her silverware to fall to the floor. And at the same time, her coughing fit had returned. She blushed madly. "Uh…yeah I'm fine." She reached down and picked up her fork and knife.

"So what happened next?" The girl to her left asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we'll have to wait till the next season…" Everyone groaned.

"Tell us more about the crash scene!" Someone cried out excitedly. Kagome grimaced.

"Well. The special effects were pretty cool. Fire was almost as high as the buildings. And you should've seen the guy's face! Completely burned off! The skin was peeling off and there was so much screaming and bloo—!"

Kagome coughed. "Can we talk about something else, Yura?"

Yuka scratched her head. "Uh…okay. How about the time I got my hair stuck in a blow-dryer and my neighbor had to help me out!?" she called eagerly. The table erupted in to another fit of excitement and Yura began her story. Kagome sighed, picking at her food and deciding to tone this story out.

As soon as Yura finished with her story, the girls decided to dance. They whisked away their partners and swayed to the beat on the dance floor. Kagome remained still in her chair, still picking at her food.

"Are you coming Kagome?" Kikyou asked.

She shook her head. "I'm still not done eating…" she stated, both of them knowing it was a lie. She had barely touched her food and had no intention of finishing it.

Kikyou nodded. "Alright then." Souta appeared next to her and grabbed her hand. But before he could pull her away, Kikyou suddenly leaned down next to her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered in her ear.

Kagome managed a smile. "It's fine. You go have fun."

She returned the smile hesitantly before walking on to the dance floor. The music continued playing hard and fast throughout the night. Couples danced the night away; their feverish bodies moving to every sound that vibrated out of the speakers. But Kagome remained in her seat. She didn't have the energy, or the desire to dance.

Her heart had been crushed.

'_He really hates me…' _She realized and cursed herself. She should've known not to get her hopes up. She had betrayed him too far for his forgiveness. She knew that now. It was…just so hard to accept. More tears fell and she wiped them immediately. She had managed to smile when they had called her name as a graduate, but the tears still continued to come.

"Kagome?"

She looked up, hoping her eyes didn't look too red. It was Sango and Miroku.

"Hey."

They both looked so great together. Sango in her pink (the nice shade of pink) dress and Miroku in his black tux and matching pink tie. It was like a picture. Kagome smiled for them. "You guys look amazing."

Sango smiled. "Thanks Kagome. You look amazing as well."

Miroku suddenly stepped forward and took her hand, kissing it. "My dear Kagome. You look absolutely ravishing and stunning as always. However…" his hand moved to her cheek. "These tears do not compliment your beauty."

She laughed, trying to wipe them away. "Sorry…I just…a lot on my mind, you know?"

"Indeed. And I can guess the cause of such tears as well." Miroku snorted.

"It's fine." Kagome assured.

"Would you like to dance with us?" Sango offered.

She shook her head. "You guys go ahead."

"Perhaps I can go grab Bankotsu for you?" Miroku suggested. Suddenly, a loud cry of excitement was heard behind them. They all turned around and Kagome giggled at the sight.

"Thanks Miroku…but uh…he looks a little busy with Jakotsu at the moment, and I wouldn't want to interrupt." She laughed even harder watching the two of them dance. Was Jakotsu trying to teach him the Salsa? Dear lord.

Miroku chuckled. "You are right about that Kagome."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Sango asked once more, her eyes clouded in worry.

Kagome tilted her head toward the dance floor. "Go on…have fun."

They shot her one more look before finally walking off to dance. _'I don't want to bring any one else down with my problems…'_

The music continued playing loudly in to the night, the energy of the crowd seemingly never ending. They danced wildly for another three hours or so, and Kagome continued to watch them. A few times, she almost felt the urge to join them, but suppressed it. She knew she was being a sourpuss about it, but she couldn't help it.

Eventually, the guests began to leave. Midnight had finally rolled around, and less than half of the couples were left, dancing to the slow music now. Even a few of the tables were being cleaned up. Kagome yawned. Perhaps she would leave as well. Not much to do here anyway… right now, she just really wanted to sleep. And she was certain she had some more of that double chunky chocolate fudge ice cream left in the fridge.

A slap echoed off the walls and a loud 'Mirkou' was heard. Kagome laughed at the redness on Miroku's face. Sango looked a little pissed, but still allowed him to hold her as they danced smoothly. Ah…those two.

She felt someone sit next to her and turned to see who it was.

"Gah!" she screamed and fell out of her chair, her head smacking against the other chair. She saw darkness and stars for a moment before looking up at her intruder. She gasped, her heart slamming in to her chest.

'_Inuyasha…'_

"Shit Kagome…what the hell is wrong with you?" he cried as he reached to help her up. He lifted her up by the arm, his rough fingers on her bare arm sending chills down her spine.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered, looking him right in the eye. He met her gaze with his own. Kikyou was right…he did look tired. She felt her knees go weak and she almost fell once more, but his strong arms steadied her.

She couldn't believe it.

He was here.

He sighed. "God Kagome…don't do this to me now…"

"Sorry…" she muttered sheepishly. She felt his hands stiffen on her shoulders and turned. Quite a large portion of the dance floor was staring at them.

"Inuyasha!" Bankotsu called, and waved toward him. Miroku and Sango glared at him, while Kikyou and Souta just stared. He gulped under their gazes.

"Uh…can we talk somewhere else?" he asked her.

She nodded immediately and led him out the back doors. They walked outside on to the hotel patio. The lights were off, but the glow from the full moon provided plenty of light for them as it shined upon the marble floor. No one else was there.

He walked ahead of her, leaning forward against the ledge, his arms crossed. She stood there behind him, just watching him. He was actually dressed formally, black slacks, white dress shirt, and a black jacket that was unbuttoned. His tie was hanging half done around his neck, and his golden eyes still shined the way she liked.

He was actually here. He actually came. Something in her heart cried out at the thought. She smiled, feeling happier than she had in days.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered, walking up next to him. His head was bowed, his fingers wringing terribly. "Are you okay?"

"Sorry…"

Huh? "Why are you sorry?" she asked. If anything, she should be apologizing, pouring herself out once more. But here he was, saying sorry to her?

He stared at her, looking at her expectantly. "Well…I am about five hours late."

She blinked. "Oh…well, its fine. Better late than never, right?" She said with a smile. He grunted in response, the silence between them returning.

Silence. It was one thing Kagome had trouble dealing with. It made everything so…horrible and awkward. And she never wanted to feel like that with him. She took a deep breath, ready for anything.

"I…thought you weren't going to come…but I'm really glad you're here."

He didn't speak, and his head was turned away from hers. She couldn't see his face.

"So…how's uh…school?"

The silence stretched and she could feel the beginnings of humiliation take hold. _'Why…is he here if he won't even speak to me?'_

She took a shaky breath. "Kendo…uh, kendo must be going great…right? When does the season start?"

Still, no answer.

"Look, if you hate me then I wish you would just say so!" she cried out in frustration. She slammed her fist hard on the marble ledge, ignoring the pain shooting up her arm. She glared at him, mostly because she couldn't think of anything else to do.

He sighed. "I don't hate you…"

She pouted like a petulant child and crossed her arms. "Then why are you here?"

"I needed to talk to you…about a lot of things…" he replied, finally looking her in the eyes. She dropped her arms, pursing her lips. He leaned against the pillar and rubbed his forehead. "I've got a major headache right now just from thinking about you and all that has happened between us."

How…romantic…?

She gave him a confused look and he blushed.

"What I meant was…I've been thinking a lot." He replied earnestly.

Her eyes softened. "I understand…it was a lot to take in."

He nodded. "But…I know it was a lot for you to take in as well." He added, his golden eyes never wavering.

"It was…" she agreed and leaned closer.

He was about to speak, but she cut him off. "Wait Inuyasha. Before you continue, I just want to let you know how sorry I am. I know what I did was wrong, and selfish, and stupid…but at the same time, I don't really regret it. It was something I had to do and I'm sorry for making you go through it all and…well…sorry."

"Stop apologizing…"

"But—"

"Look…" he snapped, "I get it…you're sorry. You don't need to apologize anymore."

"…okay." She muttered quietly, bringing her eyes downcast. She felt even worse than before. First she lied to him, and now she was just annoying him! Would she ever get things right?

He cursed under his breath. "I…didn't mean it like that. What I meant was…and…" he sighed. "This was so much better in my head."

"Inuyasha?" she called, hoping to bring him back to earth. He took a deep breath.

"Listen…I've thought about what you said to me…at the kendo tournament." He blushed at the memory. "And I realized a few things. At first, I was angry over…over everything. It all just felt like what happened before."

She winced automatically over his words and the smile disappeared from her face. His father. What his father had done to him, she hadn't done much better. She knew that she would've been angry if she was in his position.

"And then I was confused. I remember a lot of things you said and I wondered what was real and what was fake. It all seemed pretty fake at the time."

She could feel something within her die. Was this part of heartbreak? Hearing how he felt about her? Could she really take this? She tried to look away, but he turned her toward him.

"But then I thought about it some more. And I realized that even though you did act kind of weird most of the time…I had a feeling that even if I did get to know you as 'Kagome', it probably would've been just about the same because that is who you are. You're still the same no matter what." He finished.

She sucked in a breath over his words. She was speechless, unable to believe that he had actually said those words to her. He was gazing at her hesitantly now, and her eyes shined for him. Her heart was beating so fast she wondered if he could hear it. She smiled even brighter, and he blushed.

"I guess you're right." She admonished lightly.

"Keh. Of course I am."

Her heart soared to hear him say those words.

He looked pretty proud over his words, breathing out slowly in satisfaction, a rare smile coming to his face. In a way, he did have a right to be proud. Plus, she had wanted to see him smile again, and he was. Her spirits flew even higher.

"But…that doesn't mean I want you going back to being a guy again…" he warned playfully.

She laughed. "I know that Inuyasha…"

"Good…" he said firmly, glad he had won that little battle.

"But…" she began, wanting to get one more word out. He narrowed his eyebrows. "There were some things I could've done better. And I should have told you about it from the beginning."

"Maybe…"

"Maybe?" she pressed.

He twiddled his fingers, looking a little embarrassed. "Well…think about it. Even though you were a boy, we still got to know each other the same way."

He was right.

"You're right…" she replied and smiled.

Their bodies were closer now. They hadn't realized it until now, but they were almost touching; the proximity between them tighter than it had been in weeks. She locked with his golden orbs once more and saw what she had wanted to see. Forgiveness. He didn't look angry or tired anymore. Just a gentle look for her and only her. A burden felt released off her shoulders and she saw the same for him. He forgave her for what she had done, and that was more than what she could ask for.

He suddenly reached forward, grabbing a lock of her hair. He twirled it around his finger, his eyes drifting off again. She closed her eyes, enjoying the moment. He eventually released her, but not before tugging on the strand playfully.

"How the hell did you fit all that hair in a wig?" he asked incredulously.

She laughed lightly and winked. "I'm that amazing."

He rolled his eyes. "Again with the lies?"

She smacked him on the arm and he cried out, stroking his bruised arm. She giggled. Glancing toward the doors, she heard the soft music playing within. It was practically beckoning her to go inside, and she was helpless against its might. Without warning, she grabbed his arm and led him inside. The same couples were still there and once again gazing at the two of them curiously.

She turned around and laced her fingers through his. "Dance with me?"

He blinked in surprise before looking from her to the dance floor. His face flamed. "Now?"

She nodded. "Please?"

He paused, thinking. No doubt he was shy in front of everyone else there. She tightened her hold on his fingers. She wanted this so bad. For him to dance with her like before…it would make the evening perfect.

He finally gave in. "Okay…"

She nearly squealed in delight, pulling him on to the floor, ignoring all the amused stares sent their way. _'Let them have their stare. They'll get bored eventually…' _At least, she hoped so.

Luck was with her. They smiled at her before resuming back to their partners.

Just like before, she spun around, her hands coming to hang around his neck why he held her waist. His face was still red. They swayed like that, to the slow rhythm of the song. Eventually his blush receded and he started to enjoy himself. She was glad.

"Thank you Inuyasha…" she whispered.

"No big deal…" They both knew it was a lie, but she was thankful nonetheless.

Her eyes found his half done tie and she grinned, tugging on it. "I never thought I'd see you wear one of these…"

"I wasn't when I got here…"

"Huh?"

"Yeah…" he chuckled. "When I came here around midnight, I was wearing a red shirt and jeans. The guard wouldn't let me in even though the party was practically over."

She laughed. "Well, the invitation did say 'formal attire'."

"I know…I was in a hurry to get here." He looked her straight in the eye.

"Oh…"

"So they made me change and wear one of their spare ones." He explained. Now that she looked a little closer, she realized how loose the shirt was over his lean torso, and how the pants might have been just a tad too long.

His hand teased against her side. "I never thought I'd see you in a dress…"

"I know, but it's mandatory for the graduation."

He snorted. "Stupid parties…"

She smiled at his words, and he eventually did as well. No more spoken words fell between them. They remained silent, but a comfortable silence this time, both of them enjoying just being with each other. It was what they both had needed. Kagome leaned her head on his chest, and he held her tighter. Together they swayed in to the night. In the background, the music continued to play the songs.

No more worries were with them. For the first time, everything was fine again. Kagome felt her soul be at peace for the first time in weeks, just being here with him. She was forgiven, and he was dancing with her. She couldn't ask for a better night.

Forgiveness had been the first step, and now they had so many more to come.

The smile never lifted from her face or his, for they were exactly where they wanted to be…

XxXxXx

THE END!

Wow…I never thought I would say those words. I have to say, this has been an emotional rollercoaster from the start and I am so proud of this story! Thanks to all those who have reviewed and to those of you who have stayed with my story all the way through! You guys have motivated me so much! Thank you!

Once again, sorry for the lateness. I already told you guys that it would be late due to my vacation thing. I just got back a few hours ago and managed to finish this off. Hope I satisfied most of you guys! Give me your thoughts!

So…we're just about done…right? Wrong! At this point, I am like 99 sure there will be an epilogue. That is…as long as there are no objections? Anyone?


	24. Epilouge

_One Month Later…_

"Please tell me you're joking…"

"Why? What's wrong with what I sa—?"

"It's just not possible."

"You think I'm lying?"

"No." Shippo replied stiffly. "I'm just wondering where you could have come up with such an idea."

Hojo scoffed. "What's wrong with my idea? I think it makes perfect sense."

"Not when you've known him for as long as I have."

"So you've known him for a couple more years than me, that doesn't matter! I've seen them together and I'm almost positive about this." Hojo replied strongly.

"Playing kendo everyday and having a few meals here and there doesn't exactly mean anything. It's nothing short of what they've done before."

"But you don't know that…" Hojo spoke with a low and spooky voice. "What about…behind the scenes?"

Shippo rolled his eyes.

Hojo growled in frustration. No way was he giving in to Shippo's words. He looked toward the door to see a couple more kendo boys walked in to the dojo. Master Totosai had yet to arrive so they still had some time.

"Bankotsu!" He called. The boy in question walked over. "Inuyasha and Kagome…they're going out…right?"

Bankotsu blinked. "As in boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Hojo nodded.

"Of course not."

His face fell. "What?!"

"What made you think that?"

"Why wouldn't he think that?" A new voice appeared. "They spend so much time together. Surely they are dating by now."

Hojo's eyes shined. "Finally! Someone who agrees with me!"

"I only agree because it is the truth." Miroku said reasonably.

"The truth?" Bankotsu replied. He chuckled humorously and patted Hojo on the back meaningfully. "Listen lover boy…I spend way more time with Inuyasha than you. He treats Kagome like he always treats her."

"Really? I don't recall him nearly beating the hell out of other boys for insulting her. He certainly didn't do that before. And did he gaze at her when he thinks that no one's looking? I don't think so." Miroku insisted.

"You're not serious, are you?" Shippo appeared next to the group, taking his supporting position next to Bankotsu. They both stood, facing off against Miroku and Hojo, both 'teams' staying stubbornly to their opinions. He crossed his arms.

"We are still talking about our Inuyasha here right?"

"Of course."

"The Inuyasha that is probably slower than a dead turtle when it comes to love?" Shippo added dryly.

"I'll admit he's a little slow…" Miroku began, "…but he knows what he wants."

"It's all unrequited love if you ask me…" Shippo snorted. "And I'm sure that Kagome will probably move on."

"Kagome isn't that fickle." Hojo said seriously.

"But she isn't dumb either." Bankotsu interjected. "Listen…I want them to be together as much as you guys, but the reality is that they are just friends, nothing more. This isn't some fairy tale ending."

Something flashed in Miroku's eyes. "You truly believe that?"

"Sadly…yes."

"Then how would you like to wager on it?"

"What?!" Three voices cried out this time and Miroku grinned.

Hojo stared at him in confusion. "Miroku what are yo—"

"I'll bet you two fifty dollars each that Inuyasha and Kagome will be going out by the end of practice tomorrow." He proposed, glancing at each of his friends. Shippo and Bankotsu's eyes slid toward one another.

"By tomorrow?" Shippo asked. Miroku nodded. "So soon?"

Miroku chuckled. "Ah…but you forget. Today is Kagome's birthday."

The two of them whispered a few more words to one another before looking at Miroku with amused eyes. "It's a deal. By tomorrow after practice, or else we owe you fifty bucks each. But if they aren't together, you pay us fifty each."

"Of course."

"Easy money…" Bankotsu stated confidently, before shaking Miroku's hand.

Master Totosai suddenly stumbled in to the gym "Sorry I'm late!" He wiped some sweat off his brow. "There were some things I had to take care of. Now then…let us begin."

Immediately, the two teams formed a small circle around the Master. He blew his whistle and they all began stretching, first working on their arms. They were just finishing up when Hojo spoke.

"Master Totosai…where's Kagome?"

The Master stroked his chin. "Kagome…oh yes, I do believe she said she would be gone today. Birthday stuff…"

So Kagome wasn't at practice? Well then what about…

"What about Inuyasha? Where is he?" Bankotsu asked.

"Dentist." The master replied simply. Everyone shot looks at one another, some of them snickering madly. Miroku smirked.

"Why are you all laughing?" Totosai asked bewildered.

"You didn't honestly believe him, did you Totosai?" One of the boys hollered. The master cocked an eyebrow.

"Why would he lie to me?" he questioned, now completely confused. All the boys groaned.

Miroku sighed. "Don't worry about it Master Totosai…let's just say that we all knew that it would happen."

"That what would happen?"

XxXxXx

"Ow!"

Kagome laughed softly before reaching over and touching his cheek. "Does it still hurt?"

"Keh."

"Is that a yes?"

"I'm fine." He replied stubbornly. He started the engine of his truck. "It doesn't even hurt any more."

She poked his cheek and he winced. "Doesn't hurt any more?" She moved to poke it again but he stopped her. He glared at her, and she smiled smugly. One point for Kagome.

"That's what you get for not brushing your teeth properly. Two cavities." She teased, clicking her tongue disapprovingly and he glared at her once more. He slowly pulled out of the parking lot and made a right turn.

"You didn't have to come you know. I told you I would have picked you up after my appointment."

She grinned. "And miss all this?"

"It's not that funny…" he snorted.

She laughed. "Okay…maybe it's not. But still…I wanted to see you. Is that a crime?"

A soft smile came to his face. "Guess not…"

"Thank you." She said happily and glanced around. "Where are you taking me anyway?"

He only sped up a little faster.

"Inuyasha…" she droned. They were driving through an unfamiliar area full of trees and open land. She had never been through this area before. "Are you sure we're not lost?"

"No."

"You don't need to be ashamed to pull over and ask for directions…" she pointed out.

He rolled his eyes. "Keh. I know where I'm going."

'_Typical male…' _she thought sourly. They continued driving in silence for a few more minutes, the suspense almost getting to Kagome. They had been moving for more than a half and hour now, and she still had no clue where they were or where they were going to. And of course, Kagome couldn't take that sitting down.

"Can't you just tell me where we're going Inuyasha. It is my birthday. I deserve to know at least that." She said impatiently.

"We're almost there." He replied, making a few more turns. Minutes ticked by and Kagome wondered if he really did know where he was going. But…he did look awfully sure of himself. But then again, he always looked like that! Still, it was almost three in the afternoon. Kendo practice was long over by now.

She leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes. "Just tell me when we're there."

More minutes went by. Kagome could feel the truck moving with each turn, grinding along the pavement. Only when she felt the truck enter upon rough terrain did she open her eyes. Rough terrain? Where was there such a bumpy road in Kyoto? Okay…the Foorai Shrine was bumpy, but that didn't count. Inuyasha parked and shut off the engine. She sat up, and gasped.

The beach.

They were at the beach.

She felt frozen to the spot. Shock and surprise filtered through her body wildly. She felt happiness engulf her. He had taken her to the one place she had always wanted to go. The beach. She felt like she should have known, but then again, the surprise of it all was worth it.

Inuyasha stood next to her, on her side of the car. He opened the door and she beamed at him. He blushed. "Come on. We're losing daylight."

She giggled loudly before launching herself in his arms. He returned her embrace immediately and smiled at her. She felt herself melt once more in his arms. He reached in to the trunk and pulled out a black backpack and a cooler. Slinging the pack over his shoulder, he made his way toward the beach. He motioned at her with a tilt of his head and she followed, slinging her arm through his.

The beach was fairly deserted, a few couples and families here and there. They picked their spot and laid out all of their belongings. Once they were settled, Kagome took another moment to gaze out on to the horizon. She could feel the sand between her toes, and the salty air. The water glistened like diamonds and she sighed happily. It was exactly how she had imagined it.

"Kagome?" She turned around just in time to see him toss something at her. It was her bathing suit. She had recognized the designs on it instantly.

"You took my bathing suit from my room?" she cried out. He had to have taken it while she was gone. He'd been there before, but without her there?! Had he rummaged through her drawers? Did he see anything? Her mind jumped to the worst.

"Keh. No. I had your brother get it for me."

Souta? Eh…not much better. Her mouth formed a small 'o' in response. "Go get changed." He ordered, pointing toward the bathrooms.

She complied, changing in to her black two piece bathing suit. When she returned, Inuyasha was already changed, his signature red swim trunks standing out brilliantly. He was shirtless, Kagome noted with pleasure, but quickly banished her thoughts. But still, she couldn't deny how amazing he looked. Playing kendo certainly did wonders on his muscular figure.

He turned toward her just as she approached, sun screen in hand. However, seeing her, he almost dropped it. His face flamed redder than she'd seen in a while, and he sucked in a breath. She chuckled inwardly. He handed her the sunscreen bottle.

"Here…" he muttered.

"Thanks." By the time they finished applying the sunscreen, it was nearing four. The tide was growing stronger with the cooler temperature, and a few of the families had left. The sun was still out, but it was currently hidden behind the clouds. Great.

She felt Inuyasha lace his fingers through hers and pull her toward the ocean. They stood on the edge, their feet at the brink of the incoming waves. The cold water finally touched her toes and she jumped back.

She shivered and Inuyasha laughed. "Are you going in Kagome?"

"I didn't expect it to be this cold…"

"Keh. It's not that bad…" She pouted at him and he rolled his eyes. Slowly he stepped in to the freezing water, not even flinching. She sighed tiredly, moving to take a step in, but jumped back at the last second. He shot her an annoyed look and she huffed.

"Fine." Taking a deep breath, she gained whatever endurance left within her, and walked in next to him. He smirked at her and she shuddered once more, feeling the icy waters bite in to her skin. She bit her lip from crying outward, and followed Inuyasha as he ventured farther in.

However, once the water reached up to her hip, she froze, goose bumps forming on every inch of her. Her body wasn't getting used to the water as fast as she would have liked. Inuyasha walked up next to her.

"You okay?"

"F-Fine." She chattered between her teeth.

He looked back toward the shore. "We can go back if you want."

She shook her head frantically. "No." He had brought her all this way for her birthday. No way was she going to ruin it just because she was cold. She was determined to have fun and get used to the water. She wanted to enjoy this with him.

Despite her answer, her body couldn't seem to move. Inuyasha chuckled and she glared at him with a true icy glare. A powerful wave came at them, crashing in to Kagome, practically knocking her off balance. She felt Inuyasha's strong arm hold her, bringing back her balance. She smiled gratefully.

He suddenly moved to stand in front of her, his back just inches from her front. She just stared at him in confusion, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Get on." He ordered. He was going to carry her?

She hesitated for a split second, her mind weighing the options. Get on Inuyasha's back and go through the blistering cold? Or just go back to the shore and never get this chance again… Hmm… maybe this wasn't such a hard choice after all.

"Alright." Carefully she jumped on to his back. Her arms came loosely around his neck while his hands supported her. "Thanks." She whispered in to his ear.

"Keh." It was harder to see his face, but she could still detect the sudden redness that had crept up on his cheeks. She smiled contently, the chilly waters seemingly gone. The water felt nothing but cool now against her skin. He carried her, slowly but surely in to the deeper water.

"How are things with you and your dad?" she asked. His dad had come home from his business trip when she had come over last week. He had been a tall and dominating figure from the moment he walked in to the room and Kagome couldn't help but fear him. Luckily, he was somewhat polite to her, but Inuyasha still didn't trust him. She had left early that night on Inuyasha's request.

"They're better…"

"Better?"

"Yeah. I mean… we tolerate each other. You can thank my mother for that."

She hugged him tighter. "I'm glad."

"Yeah." He jumped over another wave. "Oh…by the way, my mom wants you over for dinner this weekend."

"Dinner?"

"She insisted." He said shortly.

She smiled and laughed. "Alright. Then I accept."

They continued through the waves for a few more minutes until the water was up to their shoulders. The wind blew around them gently, and the sun had finally emerged from beyond the clouds casting a beautiful shine on the water. In her life, Kagome swore she had never seen anything so peaceful.

"The beach is beautiful…" she whispered. She could be here all day, just gazing out on to the sea.

Suddenly, she felt Inuyasha's hold on her body slip and loosen slightly. Her hands tightened frantically on his shoulders. "Inuyasha?!" she cried out, the water suddenly becoming chilly once more.

He turned his head around. "What? Don't tell me you can't swim…" he said playfully.

But she didn't loosen her grip on his shoulders. "No…I can… it's just—"

"Then prove it." He retorted, a familiar light coming in to his eyes.

"What?"

"Show me you can swim." He repeated. He completely released her without warning, and she dropped unceremoniously in to the water. The coldness attacked her once more and she came up, spitting water. She glared at his amused face.

But not for long. A huge wave came at them, overtaking and throwing them both in to a watery darkness. The water swirled her around, pushing her towards the shore. Eventually she broke free to the surface. She coughed harshly in her throat and Inuyasha swam over to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Something in her heart flipped over his concern and she managed a small smile.

"I'm fine." She replied. She seriously needed some more swimming lessons. Nearly drowning in front of Inuyasha? How pathetic.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, their bodies moving with the waves; flowing and floating through and through. The numbness from the cold had left her body and was easily replaced with the warmth from Inuyasha's amber eyes. They were so close, but Kagome didn't dare go any closer. Inuyasha…it was always so difficult to read the signals he gave, and she didn't want to push her luck.

If someone asked her what she was to him, she wouldn't know how to answer. It was all so confusing. Not that she didn't enjoy it. This past month had been amazing; between the kendo practices with her friends, transferring to Shikon State, her relationship with her mom; everything seemed to be fitting together. Well…almost everything.

Her feelings hadn't changed, but she still wondered how long that would take. She almost feared it.

Another gentle wave came at them, causing the water to deepen slightly. The water came up to Kagome's neck, while Inuyasha stood easily with his head and shoulders above the waves. She cursed him inwardly for his height and he smirked at her.

When she felt something touch her sides, she practically screamed, images of the movie Jaws flashing in every corner of her mind. But her yells quieted when she realized it was just Inuyasha. She could feel his strong arms holding her, lifting her easily so that she was level with him. He held her tenderly and she rested her hands on his shoulders. Okay…maybe she could take back all her curses for his height. This was nice…

"Thank you Inuyasha…for taking me here." She said softly. Tears came to her eyes for the first time in weeks.

He smiled. "Not bad for a happy birthday surprise, right?"

She laughed. "Not bad at all. One of the best actually."

"Better than that stupid Kouga's?" he asked with a cocky edge. She almost rolled her eyes. Leave it to him to bring up **his** name. She would never understand men and their egos.

"Yes Inuyasha... much better than Kouga's."

"Good."

And then he did something she never would have expected.

He kissed her.

A startled gasp escaped her throat, but it was quickly swallowed up by the kiss. She felt shock for just an instant; almost completely baffled by his actions. But she soon relaxed in his arms and closed her eyes. Her arms circled around his neck to bring him closer, and he reacted by bringing her body even closer to his.

A lonely spark that had almost died within her body sprung to life once more; igniting with the intensity he seemed to give her. A coil of heat had submerged within her and she let herself drown within it. She had been waiting so long for this moment. And now that it happened, she was at complete bliss. He finally pulled away, his eyes shining with something she hadn't seen in a while.

"Inuyasha…" She touched his cheek and he blushed.

"I'm sorry for making you wait…" he whispered tenderly.

Her heart thudded and pounded against her ribs at his words. The tide of emotions was overflowing within her now, and she knew it would never stop. She pressed her forehead against his, her eyes practically drunk with happiness.

"Don't even worry about it…" she said sweetly. Inuyasha…he could be such a fool sometimes.

He let out a sigh of relief. The cockiness returned to his eyes. He pecked her on the lips. "Better than Kouga…right?"

He knew the answer. That smug smirk on his face said it all. She laughed at his childish game. Slowly, she nodded, and his face lit up.

He kissed her again.

XxXxXx

"Kagome! Did you have a nice birthday?"

"It was alright…"

"Keh." Inuyasha snapped from behind her. She giggled and Master Totosai looked confused once more.

"What is everyone laughing about nowadays?"

"Nothing Master Totosai. Don't even worry about it." Miroku replied, coming next to the old man and patting him on the shoulder. The master whined softly.

"I just want to know what everyone is talking about…" He muttered and walked away toward the group of 'B' team students. Inuyasha suddenly appeared next to her, his arms crossed.

"Alright?" He questioned hotly. "Just alright?"

"Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered impatiently. "I'm not about to spill out my feelings to our kendo master. That is some serious blackmail!"

He frowned in response, his hand coming to touch her elbow suggestively. Seriously…the guy couldn't wait another thirty minutes for practice to be over?! She pushed his arm off gently and he growled.

"Later on. I promise…" she said. He pouted, but complied, resuming his practice swings.

After a few more minutes of practice swings and drills, Master Totosai announced a quick water break. Gratefully, the team dispersed, Kagome taking a seat, trying to rest her tired body. She drank her water greedily, some of it slopping down her chin. Inuyasha sat next to her, his arm resting on the top of her chair casually, but still possessively. She smiled.

It was then that Kagome noticed that Inuyasha's eyes were not on her, but looking off toward the other boys. All around the dojo, more than a dozen pairs of eyes were on them, almost looking expectantly at them. Were they waiting for something? Well one thing, Kagome was certain of: they weren't going to quit until 'something' happened.

Well to hell with them.

Yawning widely, she leaned back so that her head rested on Inuyasha's chest. She kissed his cheek and he flushed, looking away from everyone else. Half a dozen jaws dropped to the ground, while the others exchanged all knowing glances. From the corner of the room, two people nearly shrieked.

"Inuyasha! No! How could you?!" Shippo and Bankotsu cried out in horror.

"How could he not?!" Miroku snapped. "I told you guys I was right. Now then…if you please?" he held out his hand. Both boys shot Inuyasha one more glance, before each of them dropping a few large bills in to his hand. Miroku tucked the money in to his pocket, smirking widely.

"Easy money…" he snickered. Shippo and Bankotsu's faces fell even more.

Kagome's eyes widened. "Wait a second. You guys made a bet on us?!"

"I was just trying to show these two how capable you both were of forming a relationship despite Inuyasha's lack of appropriate…action." Miroku explain sheepishly.

"Hey!" Inuyasha cried out angrily and Miroku gulped. Kagome groaned, burying her head farther in to Inuyasha's shoulder. Men and their egos…so frustrating.

"Alright! That's enough of that! Everyone line up!" Totosai commanded. The teams scurried in to place, forming a straight line. Carefully, Master Totosai began pairing all of the boys up for sparring. His eyes narrowed when he came to Inuyasha and Kagome.

"You two…" he pointed at them. "Since you guys 'match' so well…you can spar."

Both of them shrugged. It was no different than what they usually did.

"You know…they say that fighting is a healthy part of any relationship." Hojo whispered to Miroku who chuckled lowly. Inuyasha glared at them and they shrunk away.

Coming up next to him, she touched his arm, trying to cease his growls. "Come on Inuyasha…"

"Keh." He replied, and walked off with her toward the other side of the room. They both slipped on their gloves and grabbed their shinais. Just as she was about to get in to position, Inuyasha stopped her.

"You promised." He said stubbornly. She rolled her eyes, knowing there was no 'in between' with him. She gave him a quick meaningful kiss on the lips. Once she heard his satisfied growls, she pulled away.

"There…now can I kick your ass?" she asked with a coy smile.

"Keh. As if…" He faced her, his shinai at the ready.

They both stood, ready for the fight. She could feel her muscles strengthening and tensing automatically as they did with all matches. She could also feel her heart soar to see him standing across from her; with her like he would always be. And she had little doubt that he was thinking the same as she was.

This is where she belonged and he was who she wanted to be with. It was the closest thing to perfect she would ever get. And it made her happy…that was enough for anyone, including her.

"Begin!"

They both charged.

XxXxXx

I honestly can't believe this story is actually over. I think that was the reason why I spent so long on it. Half because I wanted it to end good, and the other half because it would actually mean that this story was done and finished.

Thank you all so much for your encouraging reviews! They meant so much to me and really motivated me to write to my fullest ability. I hope you all have enjoyed this story as much as I have writing it. This will probably be my last story considering I start college in two weeks. But you never know…a few one shots here and there might occur.

Before I depart, I figured I could leave you with some interesting facts I had about this story…

**How many times did you watch She's the Man while writing this story?**

About 6 times mainly because I love it so much. Channing Tatum and Inuyasha…mmm…

**What surprised you most about this story?**

I had serious doubts about it in the beginning, but I was surprised to see more reviews and more people liking it especially after the carnival scene. The reviews jumped from like 6 per chapter to like 20. Oh and I was surprised that I actually finished it.

**What were some things you did not plan to have in this story at first?**

Going to Inuyasha's house and the fortune teller booth. But hell those were fun to write.

**Any parts of the story that you regret?**

Sometimes I regret making Inuyasha have such a complicated past. I think this would have made things simpler. But then again, it did give him more depth.

**Favorite chapter or chapters?**

A Bridge is Formed, The Real Me, You and Me, Winning and Losing, The First Step.

**Least favorite chapter?**

Shattered Dreams.

**Favorite lines?**

"Sweet Jesus", "You have really pretty eyes.", "Seriously Inuyasha, you are just like your friends.", "You don't suck as much as you think…", "Open your legs for me" "Pardon?", "Just because you wear a wig, doesn't prove you're a girl…", "You're still the same no matter what…", "Better than Kouga?"

I have more; I just can't think of them.

**Most difficult chapter to write?**

You Can't Win Them All.

**Most fun scenes to write?**

Kikyou and Keade's jealously plan, communication lesson for Inuyasha, seduction scenes, the betrayal scene (no I'm not sick. It was something different to do and I liked it a lot), the real Souta on the kendo team, Kagome's secret confession scene, all the scenes in 'The First Step' chapter, the beach scene.

**Favorite characters to write about?**

Inuyasha because he is so complex and challenging when getting him in to character and Kikyou because I like portraying her in a different way than her cold self.

Thanks you all once again! Love you all! And I want you all to go out and watch the movie "She's the Man"!

Oh and feel free to tell me some of your favorite parts of this story. It's always interesting to read things like that…


End file.
